Facebook and Yahoo Decide to Play Nice
A happy ending for the patent war Facebook entered with Yahoo earlier this year, with the final settlement including an expanded partnership between the two companies, sources tell AllThingsD's Kara Swisher. Considering the way patent rivalries go these days, what with companies getting injunctions and counter-suing each other into oblivion, this battle has taken a pleasant course. Rather than fight each other into bankruptcy, the companies have decided to share. Share! "The agreement will include a major expansion of their ongoing partnership, including a joint advertising sales effort, as well as cross-licensing of some key patents between the pair," writes Swisher.
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The whole thing went down with what sounds like a high degree of civility, with Yahoo interim CEO Ross Levinsohn personally reaching out to Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg. (That should help his quest for the permanent CEO job.) Plus, it sounds like a win-win for both sides. "Sources said Facebook and Yahoo hope there will be significant upside in several possible advertising and other business deals between the pair that could yield large revenues if executed well." If only all senseless patent wars had fairy tale endings.
