<?xml version="1.0"?><?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="../4_X02.xsl"?><ownershipDocument>    <schemaVersion>X0304</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType>    <periodOfReport>2012-01-12</periodOfReport>    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>    <issuer>        <issuerCik>0001137789</issuerCik>        <issuerName>Seagate Technology plc</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>STX</issuerTradingSymbol>    </issuer>    <reportingOwner>        <reportingOwnerId>            <rptOwnerCik>0001388390</rptOwnerCik>            <rptOwnerName>MOSLEY WILLIAM D</rptOwnerName>        </reportingOwnerId>        <reportingOwnerAddress>            <rptOwnerStreet1>SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY PLC</rptOwnerStreet1>            <rptOwnerStreet2>10200 S. DE ANZA BOULEVARD</rptOwnerStreet2>            <rptOwnerCity>CUPERTINO</rptOwnerCity>            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>            <rptOwnerZipCode>95014</rptOwnerZipCode>            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>        </reportingOwnerAddress>        <reportingOwnerRelationship>            <isDirector>0</isDirector>            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>            <isOther>0</isOther>            <officerTitle>EVP, Sales and Marketing</officerTitle>        </reportingOwnerRelationship>    </reportingOwner>    <nonDerivativeTable>        <nonDerivativeTransaction>            <securityTitle>                <value>Ordinary Shares</value>            </securityTitle>            <transactionDate>                <value>2012-01-12</value>            </transactionDate>            <transactionCoding>                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>            </transactionCoding>            <transactionAmounts>                <transactionShares>                    <value>17500</value>                </transactionShares>                <transactionPricePerShare>                    <value>13.73</value>                </transactionPricePerShare>                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>                    <value>A</value>                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>            </transactionAmounts>            <postTransactionAmounts>                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>                    <value>31790.5977</value>                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>            </postTransactionAmounts>            <ownershipNature>                <directOrIndirectOwnership>                    <value>D</value>                </directOrIndirectOwnership>            </ownershipNature>        </nonDerivativeTransaction>        <nonDerivativeTransaction>            <securityTitle>                <value>Ordinary Shares</value>            </securityTitle>            <transactionDate>                <value>2012-01-12</value>            </transactionDate>            <transactionCoding>                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>            </transactionCoding>            <transactionAmounts>                <transactionShares>                    <value>29166</value>                </transactionShares>                <transactionPricePerShare>                    <value>4.045</value>                </transactionPricePerShare>                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>                    <value>A</value>                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>            </transactionAmounts>            <postTransactionAmounts>                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>                    <value>60956.5977</value>                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>            </postTransactionAmounts>            <ownershipNature>                <directOrIndirectOwnership>                    <value>D</value>                </directOrIndirectOwnership>            </ownershipNature>        </nonDerivativeTransaction>        <nonDerivativeTransaction>            <securityTitle>                <value>Ordinary Shares</value>            </securityTitle>            <transactionDate>                <value>2012-01-12</value>            </transactionDate>            <transactionCoding>                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>            </transactionCoding>            <transactionAmounts>                <transactionShares>                    <value>26666</value>                </transactionShares>                <transactionPricePerShare>                    <value>19.00</value>                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>                </transactionPricePerShare>                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>                    <value>D</value>                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>            </transactionAmounts>            <postTransactionAmounts>                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>                    <value>34290.5977</value>                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>            </postTransactionAmounts>            <ownershipNature>                <directOrIndirectOwnership>                    <value>D</value>                </directOrIndirectOwnership>            </ownershipNature>        </nonDerivativeTransaction>        <nonDerivativeTransaction>            <securityTitle>                <value>Ordinary Shares</value>            </securityTitle>            <transactionDate>                <value>2012-01-12</value>            </transactionDate>            <transactionCoding>                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>            </transactionCoding>            <transactionAmounts>                <transactionShares>                    <value>20000</value>                </transactionShares>                <transactionPricePerShare>                    <value>19.00</value>                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>                </transactionPricePerShare>                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>                    <value>D</value>                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>            </transactionAmounts>            <postTransactionAmounts>                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>                    <value>14290.5977</value>                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>            </postTransactionAmounts>            <ownershipNature>                <directOrIndirectOwnership>                    <value>D</value>                </directOrIndirectOwnership>            </ownershipNature>        </nonDerivativeTransaction>        <nonDerivativeTransaction>            <securityTitle>                <value>Ordinary Shares</value>            </securityTitle>            <transactionDate>                <value>2012-01-13</value>            </transactionDate>            <transactionCoding>                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>            </transactionCoding>            <transactionAmounts>                <transactionShares>                    <value>20000</value>                </transactionShares>                <transactionPricePerShare>                    <value>4.045</value>                </transactionPricePerShare>                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>                    <value>A</value>                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>            </transactionAmounts>            <postTransactionAmounts>                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>                    <value>34290.5977</value>                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>            </postTransactionAmounts>            <ownershipNature>                <directOrIndirectOwnership>                    <value>D</value>                </directOrIndirectOwnership>            </ownershipNature>        </nonDerivativeTransaction>        <nonDerivativeTransaction>            <securityTitle>                <value>Ordinary Shares</value>            </securityTitle>            <transactionDate>                <value>2012-01-13</value>            </transactionDate>            <transactionCoding>                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>            </transactionCoding>            <transactionAmounts>                <transactionShares>                    <value>20000</value>                </transactionShares>                <transactionPricePerShare>                    <value>19.50</value>                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>                </transactionPricePerShare>                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>                    <value>D</value>                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>            </transactionAmounts>            <postTransactionAmounts>                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>                    <value>14290.5977</value>                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>            </postTransactionAmounts>            <ownershipNature>                <directOrIndirectOwnership>                    <value>D</value>                </directOrIndirectOwnership>            </ownershipNature>        </nonDerivativeTransaction>    </nonDerivativeTable>    <derivativeTable>        <derivativeTransaction>            <securityTitle>                <value>NQ Stock Options</value>            </securityTitle>            <conversionOrExercisePrice>                <value>13.73</value>            </conversionOrExercisePrice>            <transactionDate>                <value>2012-01-12</value>            </transactionDate>            <transactionCoding>                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>            </transactionCoding>            <transactionAmounts>                <transactionShares>                    <value>17500</value>                </transactionShares>                <transactionPricePerShare>                    <value>0.00</value>                </transactionPricePerShare>                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>                    <value>D</value>                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>            </transactionAmounts>            <exerciseDate>                <value>2009-09-12</value>                <footnoteId id="F3"/>            </exerciseDate>            <expirationDate>                <value>2015-09-12</value>            </expirationDate>            <underlyingSecurity>                <underlyingSecurityTitle>                    <value>Ordinary Shares</value>                </underlyingSecurityTitle>                <underlyingSecurityShares>                    <value>17500</value>                </underlyingSecurityShares>            </underlyingSecurity>            <postTransactionAmounts>                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>                    <value>11667</value>                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>            </postTransactionAmounts>            <ownershipNature>                <directOrIndirectOwnership>                    <value>D</value>                </directOrIndirectOwnership>            </ownershipNature>        </derivativeTransaction>        <derivativeTransaction>            <securityTitle>                <value>NQ Stock Options</value>            </securityTitle>            <conversionOrExercisePrice>                <value>4.045</value>            </conversionOrExercisePrice>            <transactionDate>                <value>2012-01-12</value>            </transactionDate>            <transactionCoding>                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>            </transactionCoding>            <transactionAmounts>                <transactionShares>                    <value>29166</value>                </transactionShares>                <transactionPricePerShare>                    <value>0.00</value>                </transactionPricePerShare>                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>                    <value>D</value>                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>            </transactionAmounts>            <exerciseDate>                <value>2010-01-30</value>                <footnoteId id="F4"/>            </exerciseDate>            <expirationDate>                <value>2016-01-30</value>            </expirationDate>            <underlyingSecurity>                <underlyingSecurityTitle>                    <value>Ordinary Shares</value>                </underlyingSecurityTitle>                <underlyingSecurityShares>                    <value>29166</value>                </underlyingSecurityShares>            </underlyingSecurity>            <postTransactionAmounts>                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>                    <value>510834</value>                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>            </postTransactionAmounts>            <ownershipNature>                <directOrIndirectOwnership>                    <value>D</value>                </directOrIndirectOwnership>            </ownershipNature>        </derivativeTransaction>        <derivativeTransaction>            <securityTitle>                <value>NQ Stock Options</value>            </securityTitle>            <conversionOrExercisePrice>                <value>4.045</value>            </conversionOrExercisePrice>            <transactionDate>                <value>2012-01-13</value>            </transactionDate>            <transactionCoding>                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>            </transactionCoding>            <transactionAmounts>                <transactionShares>                    <value>20000</value>                </transactionShares>                <transactionPricePerShare>                    <value>0.00</value>                </transactionPricePerShare>                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>                    <value>D</value>                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>            </transactionAmounts>            <exerciseDate>                <value>2010-01-30</value>                <footnoteId id="F3"/>            </exerciseDate>            <expirationDate>                <value>2016-01-30</value>            </expirationDate>            <underlyingSecurity>                <underlyingSecurityTitle>                    <value>Ordinary</value>                </underlyingSecurityTitle>                <underlyingSecurityShares>                    <value>20000</value>                </underlyingSecurityShares>            </underlyingSecurity>            <postTransactionAmounts>                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>                    <value>490834</value>                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>            </postTransactionAmounts>            <ownershipNature>                <directOrIndirectOwnership>                    <value>D</value>                </directOrIndirectOwnership>            </ownershipNature>        </derivativeTransaction>    </derivativeTable>    <footnotes>        <footnote id="F1">Shares were sold under a 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the Reporting Person on May 24, 2011.</footnote>        <footnote id="F2">Shares were sold under a 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the Reporting Person on February 22, 2011.</footnote>        <footnote id="F3">Options granted the Reporting Person under the Issuer's 2004 Stock Compensation Plan are subject to a four-year vesting schedule.  One quarter of the option shares vested on January 30, 2010.  The remaining shares are vesting and will continue to vest proportionally each month over the 36 months following January 30, 2010</footnote>        <footnote id="F4">Options Granted to the Reporting Person under the Issuer's 2004 Stock Compensation Plan are subject to a four-year vesting schedule.  One quarter of the option shares vested on September 12, 2009.  The remaining shares are vesting and will continue to vest proportionally each month over the 36 months following September 12, 2009.</footnote>    </footnotes>    <ownerSignature>        <signatureName>/S/ Roberta S Cohen for William D Mosley</signatureName>        <signatureDate>2012-01-13</signatureDate>    </ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>