It's
an upgrade in the relationship between two companies.
Nokia
and Apple said Tuesday they were burying the hatchet in a bitter patent dispute with a
cooperation agreement and an undisclosed cash payment by the U.S. tech giant to
the Finnish group.
By
settling their ongoing intellectual propertydispute,
the two companies would "move the relationship... from being adversaries
in court to business partners," Nokia's chief legal officer Maria
Varsellona said.
Following
years of clashes, Nokia and Apple originally signed a licensing agreement in
2011.
But
last December, the Finnish group, once the world's top mobile phone maker,
complained that Apple was using Nokia technology in many products without
paying for it. And it filed lawsuits in Germany and in the United States.
Concretely,
the dispute concerned 32 patents for innovations related to displays, user
interface, software, antennae, chipsets and video coding.
The
deal reached on Tuesday would put the two companies' relationship back on an
even keel, with Nokia providing "certain network infrastructure products
and services to Apple," the statement said.
Apple
would "resume carrying Nokia digital health products (formerly under the
Withings brand) in Apple retail and online stores, and Apple and Nokia are
exploring future collaboration in digital health initiatives," it
continued.
"Regular
summits between top Nokia and Apple executives will ensure that the
relationship works effectively and to the benefit of both parties and their
customers."
Apple's
chief operating officer Jeff Williams said the U.S. giant was "pleased
with this resolution of our dispute and we look forward to expanding our
business relationship with Nokia."
The
two sides did not disclose the financial details of the deal.
But
Nokia would receive "additional revenues during the term of the
agreement," the Finnish group said.
The
up-front cash payment would allow Nokia to "provide a comprehensive update
of its capital structure optimisation programme," a restructuring plan launched
in late 2015, which may now be lighter thanks to the payment by Apple.
Nokia's
shares were showing a gain of more than seven percent stake on the Helsinki
Stock Exchange at around 10:00 GMT, while the overall market was up by just 0.8
percent.
Source:
e.vnexpress.net
0 nhận xét:
Đăng nhận xét