Microsoft has inked a deal with Foxconn’s patent, Hon Hai, in a patent agreement for Android and Chrome OS. In essence, the patent agreement prevents Hon Hai from being sued for patent infringement when it comes to using Google’s Chrome OS or Android OS in products such as smartphones and tablets, in exchange for royalties.
“We are pleased that the list of companies benefitting from Microsoft’s Android licensing program now includes the world’s largest contract manufacturer, Hon Hai. By licensing both brand name companies and their contract manufacturers, we have successfully increased the overall effectiveness and global reach of the program,” Microsoft stated in an official blog post.
The patent agreement between Microsoft and Hon Hai involve smartphones, tablets and televisions powered by Google’s two operating systems. Hon Hai also holds more than 54,000 patents worldwide.
Hon Hai joins companies like Nikon, Acer, Viewsonic, and Samsung, who will pay Microsoft an undisclosed amount of royalties just to use patented technology, in order to avoid litigation from Microsoft.
“This is the same tactic we’ve seen time and again from Microsoft. Failing to succeed in the smartphone market, they are resorting to legal measures to extort profit from others’ achievements and hinder the pace of innovation. We remain focused on building new technology and supporting Android partners,” Google stated back in 2011 regarding Microsoft’s patent tactics.
