It’s no secret that Microsoft makes more money off Android then their own quickly failing phone business, thanks to licensing agreements with HTC which see a royalty paid to the company for every Android HTC device sold. A new licensing agreement with ViewSonic will see Microsoft again collecting royalties off ViewSonic’s smartphone and tablet devices running Android or Chrome.
Microsoft’s corporate vice president and deputy general counsel of Intellectual Property and Licensing Horacio Gutierrez had the following to say about the agreement:
“We are pleased that ViewSonic is taking advantage of our industrywide licensing program established to help companies address Android’s IP issues,” he continued, “this agreement is an example of how industry leaders can reach commercially reasonable arrangements that address intellectual property.”
A similar agreement was also reportedly made with Acer regarding their smartphones and tablets running Android. While this will provide Acer with protection under Microsoft’s patents, it’s unclear whether Acer will be forced to pay a royalty.
Microsoft’s next victim? It could possibly be Samsung, as reports in the past have suggested that the company is actively in talks with Samsung for a similar agreement regarding their Android-based devices.
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