Smartphone titans Apple and HTC have settled all global lawsuits and signed a 10-year licensing agreement, ending a dispute that threatened their shipments of mobile devices. The companies both released canned statements from execs expressing their pleasure at the arrangement and both mentioning “innovation” as key goals going forward. Apple, which had accused HTC of copying features that made its iPhone unique. HTC had accused the Cupertino, California-based maker of iPads and MacBooks of infringing its wireless patents. An Apple complaint to the US International Trade Commission sought to block imports of HTC smartphones because the devices allegedly copied the iPhone's pinch-to-zoom feature. HTC fought back, alleging infringement of patents it bought last year for ways to reliably transmit a larger amount of data. Both parties declined to provide details of the settlement.
