Microsoft and Samsung in ‘olive branch’ talks
Samsung and Microsoft could put their patent disputes behind them after company executives met in South Korea, according to reports.
South-Korea based Samsung’s vice chairman Lee Jae-Yong and Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella agreed to “peace talks” and discussed how the two companies could work together in the future.
The news comes shortly after Microsoft filed a lawsuit against Samsung in the US, accusing it of breaching a contract covering patent royalties.
According to the lawsuit, filed at the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, Samsung agreed in a 2011 licensing deal to pay Microsoft royalties for any phones or tablets running the Android mobile platform.
The complaint said that after Microsoft acquired Nokia’s mobile handset division earlier this year, Samsung allegedly stopped honouring the agreement.
But The Korea Times quoted a Samsung official as saying an “olive branch” had been offered to Microsoft.
"The two agreed to peace talks over ongoing patent disputes, and to expand their business partnership," the official said.
The official added that Microsoft hoped to continue its long-term partnership with Samsung, which could include using Microsoft’s Windows operating system as an alternative to Android.
Although the Android platform was launched by Google in 2008, Microsoft owns patents covering the technology, allowing it to negotiate licensing deals.
Microsoft and Samsung did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
