Samsung and Huawei settle their patent disputes in China

Samsung and Huawei have been involved in a fierce legal battle for many years now. They have sued each other in dozens of patent infringement cases both in China and the US. Earlier this year, the two companies decided to settle their lawsuits in the US, and it appears they have decided to opt for the same recourse in China as well.

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.