DHAKA: Mobile phone industry giants Apple and Google have agreed to dismiss lawsuits they had brought against each other over technology patents.

In a joint statement, the companies said they would work together in "some areas of patent reform".

But the deal did not include licensing their technology to each other.

Apple - which produces iPhones - and firms that make phones using Google's Android software earlier filed dozens of lawsuits against one another.

Earlier this month, a jury in California ordered South Korea's Samsung firm to pay Apple $119.6m (£71m) for for infringing two of its patents.

The court also ruled that Apple infringed Samsung's patents and awarded $158,000 in damages, reports the BBC.

Android software is now installed on some 80% of new phones sold every year.

BDST: 0948 HRS, MAY 17, 2014