Apple and HTC have reached a global settlement (http://macte.ch/3eRO8) that includes the dismissal of all current lawsuits and a ten-year license agreement. The companies are releasing details, but in a note to clients — as reported by “The MacObserver” (www.macobserver.com) — Sterne Agree analyst Shaw Wu thinks the settlement could net Apple US$280 million per year.
“We believe Apple is likely getting a net licensing fee due to its much stronger patent portfolio and we think position as undisputed inventor of the modern smart phone with touchscreen,” he said. The analyst bases his licensing fee estimate on discussions with his industry sources.
Wu estimates that HTC will ship between 30 million and 35 million Android-based smartphones in 2013. He adds that HTC’s licensing payment “is apparently lower than the range that Apple initially proposed.”