Desi in ultimii ani s-a spus in repetate randuri ca Samsung incearca sa rupa legaturile cu Google si sa renunte la Android pentru a se concentra pe dezvoltarea unui sistem de operare propriu denumit Tizen, iata ca realitatea este complet diferita. In cursul zilei de ieri Google si Samsung au anuntat incheierea un complex acord de colaborare si licentiere reciproca de brevete de inventie, acest acord oferindu-le ambelor companii posibilitatea de a se proteja mult mai eficient in fata unor procese intentate de catre Apple, dar oferindu-le in acelasi timp acces la noi tehnologii.
Acordul le va permite celor de la Samsung sa utilizeze brevetele companiilor Motorola si Google in procesele intentate companiei Apple, dar sa si foloseasca tehnologiile protejate de catre ele pentru dezvoltarea de smartphone-uri si tablete noi, Google avand aceeasi optiune. In aceasta viziune asupra viitorului, Motorola ramane o companie fara vreun viitor in contextul in care Google va coopera mult mai indeaproape cu Samsung, acordul implicand inclusiv lansarea de smartphone-uri Samsung cu versiuni stock ale Android, coreenii renuntand din proprie initiativa la dezvoltarea Tizen.
Partea si mai interesanta a acordului este ca prin el se interzice oferirea Android-ului catre anumite companii, Microsoft fiind una dintre ele, asa ca acel smartphone Nokia cu Android OS nu va mai fi lansat vreodata pe piata. Desi nu se stie cati sau daca s-au platit bani pentru incheierea acestui acord, insa stim sigur ca Android-ul va deveni mult mai puternic in urma incheierii sale si Apple are in fata competitori mult mai puternici decat in trecut.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Google Inc. today furthered their long-term cooperative partnership with a global patent cross-license agreement covering a broad range of technologies and business areas. The mutually beneficial agreement covers the two companies’ existing patents as well as those filed over the next 10 years.
“We’re pleased to enter into a cross-license with our partner Samsung,” said Allen Lo, Deputy General Counsel for Patents at Google. “By working together on agreements like this, companies can reduce the potential for litigation and focus instead on innovation.”
With this agreement, Samsung and Google gain access to each other’s industry-leading patent portfolios, paving the way for deeper collaboration on research and development of current and future products and technologies.
“This agreement with Google is highly significant for the technology industry,” said Dr. Seungho Ahn, the Head of Samsung’s Intellectual Property Center. “Samsung and Google are showing the rest of the industry that there is more to gain from cooperating than engaging in unnecessary patent disputes.”