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Apple and Samsung have finally decided to call an end to their four-year battle over patent infringements.

In a joint statement, the two tech giants said they have agreed to drop all suits against each other in countries outside of the US. 

However, the companies added they will continue to pursue the existing cases currently going through the American legal system.

Apple and Samsung have finally decided to call an end to their four-year battle over patent infringements.In a joint statement, the two tech giants said they have agreed to drop all suits against each other in countries outside of the US, but will continue to pursue all the existing cases going through the American legal system

Countries where both companies have launched legal action in the past include South Korea, Japan, The Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy and the UK.

Reports of a potential truce began in May, and the claims followed shortly after a jury awarded both companies damages during a high-profile court battle. 

This was said to have made it easier to resume talks.

The brief statement, sent to journalists by Samsung Electronics Australia said: 'Samsung and Apple have agreed to drop all litigation between the two companies outside the United States.

'This agreement does not involve any licensing arrangements, and the companies are continuing to pursue the existing cases in U.S. courts.

'No further comment or interviews will be available.'

The two tech giants have been battling over patent lawsuits since 2010. 

Each company accuses the other of stealing and using hardware and software features from their respective handsets.

The more recent battle began in March and was brought by Apple in the US. It involved at least 10 patent software infringements from the 'slide to unlock' feature, to Face Time and video calls.

The most recent legal case began in March between the two firms, and was brought by Apple. It concerned software infringements, including the 'slide to unlock' feature (pictured). A jury agreed Samsung infringed two Apple patents, and awarded $119.6 million, but also found in favour of Samsung, awarding $158,400

The case ran for two months before a California jury reached a mixed verdict.

The eight-person jury agreed Samsung had infringed two Apple software patents, awarding the company a total of $119.6 million. 

But the jury also found in favour of Samsung in its counterclaim, awarding the firm $158,400 for the infringement of one patent.

The $119.6 million is barely more than five per cent of the $2.2 billion in damages Apple asked of the court.

It is also much less than the $930 million Apple was awarded in 2012 in the same court, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, in San Jose.

The move comes after Apple and Google bought a similar three-year battle to an end by issuing a statement in Mary saying they will be dismissing all patent disputes.

The most recent disputes applied to patents Google inherited when it bought Motorola Mobility in 2012.