By Angela Chen
Google Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. have entered a
long-term patent cross-license agreement to reduce the risk of
future patent lawsuits.
"This cross license allows both companies to focus on delivering
great products and services to consumers around the world," said
Kirk Dailey, Google's head of patent transactions.
The Web-search company, which had troubles with patent
litigation in the past, has also reached far-reaching patent
cross-licensing agreements with both Samsung Electronics Co. and
Cisco Systems Inc.
Facing patent lawsuits for many of its services, including its
Android mobile-device operating system, it responded by purchasing
a large number of patents for itself, including some patents from
International Business Machines Corp. in 2011.
Meanwhile, in May this year, Google and Apple Inc. agreed to
drop all lawsuits between them, including one that covers Apple's
patent litigation with Google's Motorola unit. Motorola sued Apple
for patent infringement in 2010, and Apple had countersued.
Technology companies have gotten used to patent litigation in
recent years. The biggest players have sued and countersued in the
U.S. and elsewhere, accusing each other of stealing their
inventions.
Write to Angela Chen at angela.chen@dowjones.com
Access Investor Kit for Apple, Inc.
Visit
http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US0378331005
Access Investor Kit for Cisco Systems, Inc.
Visit
http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US17275R1023
Access Investor Kit for Google, Inc.
Visit
http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US38259P5089
Access Investor Kit for Google, Inc.
Visit
http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US38259P7069
Access Investor Kit for International Business Machines
Corp.
Visit
http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US4592001014
Access Investor Kit for Motorola Solutions, Inc.
Visit
http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US6200763075
Access Investor Kit for Verizon Communications, Inc.
Visit
http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US92343V1044
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires