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Two of the world’s most ubiquitous companies, Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), have agreed a peace-deal in a long running patent dispute.
They have agreed to drop some 20 lawsuits between them, relating to relating to software powering smartphones.
Meanwhile, Bank of America Merrill Lynch has abandoned its bearish outlook on Microsoft, upgrading the stock from 'underperform' to 'neutral'.
The price target has been hiked to US$49 from US$56 previously, as the software firm is set to run up against softer year-ago comparative figures.
Elsewhere in the technology world, Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) is set to unveil its new chief executive, though it is going to be founder and current interim boss Jack Dorsey so there won’t be much of an adjustment period.
Dorsey, who stepped in after Dick Costolo left in June, had been expected to remain in charge of his other venture Square – a mobile payments group expected to seek a stock exchange listing before the year’s end – though there has been a certain momentum in recent reports suggesting he could run both companies.
It has also been suggested that under the new boss the social media group could find room for more loquacious message writers – with an expanded message feature to go beyond the long-standing 140 limit.