Apple and HTC sign 10-year license agreement

Apple and HTC have announced a 10-year license agreement which will put an end to their global patent disputes.

The companies issued a joint press release, on Apple’s site it explains the agreement will see ‘the dismissal of all current lawsuits’ as well as the decade-long patent deal for ‘current and future patents held by both parties.’

Details of the terms are being kept under wraps, though the Verge reports it heard from HTC’s Jeff Gordon that the agreement will not ‘have any adverse material impact on the financials of the company.’

Despite that statement suggesting that HTC hasn’t forked out a big chunk of cash, the Taiwanese company must’ve somehow pushed the right buttons at Apple.

So far, such a licensing deal has remained elusive for Korean manufacturer Samsung, which remains locked in similar global legal disputes with the Cupertino-based iPhone maker.

The new deal will mean HTC can implement slide-to-unlock and universal search functions, two software features where Apple holds patents over which it has come down hard on Android manufacturers, including Samsung.

There are, of course, plenty of other patented features held by both Apple and HTC covered under the deal.

HTC chief executive Peter Chou said the company is pleased to be able to ‘focus on innovation instead of litigation,’ while Apple head Tim Cook also expressed his relief, asserting Apple would ‘stay laser focused on product innovation.’