According to reports in the Chinese media, Samsung and Huawei have reached a settlement in a series of patent infringement disputes involving standard-essential patents through a litigation mediation of the Higher People’s Court of Guangdong Province. Details of the settlement are not yet available, but the companies have reportedly agreed to a framework for cross-licensing standard-essential patents worldwide.
With the new framework in place, both the companies have started withdrawing other cases related to these patents. When concluded, the settlement marks the end of a long-drawn legal battle that involves more than 40 lawsuits.
Much has changed in the meantime in the fortunes of both these companies in China. Once a dominant player in the Chinese smartphone market, Samsung has been reduced to less than 1% market share in the region. During the same period, Huawei has emerged as the largest vendor in China and the second largest vendor globally, posing a threat to Samsung’s hold over the global smartphone market.
