Google and LG will license each other's patents for the next decade

Samsung isn't the only Android device maker getting cozy with Google's patents, apparently. LG has just entered into a cross-licensing deal with Google that will let the two companies use each other's patents (including new ones) for the next 10 years. The two sides are coy about just why they've forged the long-term pact, although there are few possibilities. For a start, one or both sides may simply want to borrow the other's features -- a blanket agreement eliminates the chances of lawsuits and simplifies the licensing process. There's also a chance that Google is using the deal to guarantee that LG won't stray too far from the official Android strategy. It's not certain that this is the case, though; unlike Samsung, LG hasn't been in a rush to replace Google software and services with its own. Whatever the motivations, it's doubtful that these companies will duke it out in the courtroom any time soon.