Apple and Ericsson have finally settled their long-standing 5G patent dispute. The two companies have officially entered into a new multi-year patent licensing agreement.
Ericsson enters into a multi-year agreement patent licensing agreement with Apple
In a new press release, Ericsson announced that it has entered into a multi-year agreement with Apple which includes “global cross-license for patented cellular standard-essential technologies and grants certain other patent rights.”
Christina Petersson, Chief Intellectual Property Officer at Ericsson says: “We are pleased to settle the litigations with Apple with this agreement, which is of strategic importance to our 5G licensing program. This will allow both companies to continue to focus on bringing the best technology to the global market.”
The press release also notes that this agreement ends all “ongoing patent-related legal disputes between the parties.”
This settlement ends the lawsuits filed by both companies in several countries, including in the United States District Court of the Eastern District of Texas, as well as the complaints filed before the United States International Trade Commission (USITC).
In addition to the patent licensing, the agreement also includes commitments from both companies to strengthen their existing collaborations, “including in technology, interoperability.
Ericsson’s despite with Apple began in 2015 when both companies sued each other. The dispute was subsequently settled when both companies entered a 7-year licensing deal related to the cellular technology that Apple uses in the iPhone and iPad.
Last year, a series of lawsuits from both sides were filed after negotiations between the two failed to conclude before their 7-year licensing deal expired in December 2021.
The Swedish firm first filed a suit against Apple in October 2021 after both companies failed to reach a new licensing agreement over cellular-connectivity patents. In turn, the Cupertino tech giant in December 2021, filed a lawsuit against Ericsson accusing the company of using “strong-arm tactics” during negotiations over 5G network licensing.
Apple and Ericsson’s agreement for the Cupertino tech giant to use its patents for 2G, 3G, and 4G technology expired in December 2021. In January 2022, Apple was sued once again for continuing to use the Swedish company’s 5G patents in the iPhone after its seven-year license agreement expired. Ericsson filed two lawsuits covering a total of 12 separate patents. The cases could not have been brought to court until the licensing agreement expired.
