Surprising as it may seem, Microsoft claims to have signed patent licensing agreements with 10  manufacturers that make about half of all Android mobile devices sold.   The latest deal was struck between Microsoft and Compal Electronics which provides the company with “broad coverage under Microsoft’s patent portfolio” as it includes a wide range of mobile devices that run Google Android or Chrome operating systems.  According to the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will receive royalty fees from Compal for each device sold. 

“We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Compal, one of the leaders in the original design manufacturing, or ODM, industry.  Together with the license agreements signed in the past few months with Wistron and Quanta Computer, today’s agreement with Compal means more than half of the world’s ODM industry for Android and Chrome devices is now under license to Microsoft’s patent portfolio,” stated Horacio Gutierrez, corporate vice president and deputy general counsel, Intellectual Property Group at Microsoft.  ”We are proud of the continued success of our licensing program in resolving IP issues surrounding Android and Chrome.”  Microsoft maintains that the Android operating system is in breach of a number of core operating system patents that it owns.   Companies that have already signed similar deals with Microsoft include General Dynamics Itronix, Acer, ViewSonic, Samsung, HTC, Quanta, Onkyo, Velocity Micro and Wistrom. 

Related Link:

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/microsoft-announces-tenth-android-patent-deal/