In pursuit of patent peace which Google says coincides with innovation and healthy competition which benefits consumers, the company has launched a new patent licensing initiative called PAX. As a member of PAX, Samsung has signed patent licensing agreements with other members which include Google, LG, HTC, Foxconn, HMD Global, Coolpad, BQ and Allview.
All PAX members grant each other royalty-free patent licenses which cover Android and Google Applications on qualified devices. Google says that this “community-driven clearinghouse” that it has developed with its Android partners will ensure that innovation and consumer choice continues to be the key drivers of the Android ecosystem and not patent threats. It has made PAX free to join to anyone.
Google believes that PAX will further expand the openness of Android for all of its members particularly by promoting patent peace that's going to free up valuable time and resources for members who can then use those resources to create new ideas.
Samsung and its fellow PAX members collectively own more than 230,000 patents worldwide and the number will only continue to grow as more members join the initiative in the future.
