Two Android device manufacturers have fallen victim to Microsoft’s Android patent license royalty agreement. This time two high end manufacturers, Acer and Viewsonic, will pay Microsoft royalties for selling their Android-powered tablets and mobile phones.
“We are pleased that Acer is taking advantage of our industrywide licensing program established to help companies address Android’s IP issues. This agreement is an example of how industry leaders can reach commercially reasonable arrangements that address intellectual property,” Microsoft’s Horacio Gutierrez stated. Well of course they would be pleased.
Viewsonic will be paying Microsoft an undisclosed amount for sales of its tablets and mobile phones running Android or Chrome. Acer, on the other hand, must pay for sales of its tablets and mobile phones running Android.
Back in 2010, Microsoft had the same issue with HTC. “HTC and Microsoft have a long history of technical and commercial collaboration, and today’s agreement is an example of how industry leaders can reach commercial arrangements that address intellectual property,” said Horacio Gutierrez, corporate vice president and deputy general counsel of Intellectual Property and Licensing at Microsoft. “We are pleased to continue our collaboration with HTC.”
And then in July of this year, Microsoft was demanding $15 per smartphone from Samsung.
To top all that, Microsoft sued Motorola in an attempt to prevent Android phones from being sold in the United States. Microsoft claimed that Motorola’s Android phones infringe on several patents.
Barns & Noble has had enough of Microsoft’s antics and stated that, “Microsoft is misusing these patents as part of a scheme to try to eliminate or marginalize the competition to its own Windows Phone 7 mobile device operating system posted by the open-source Android operating system and other open source operating systems. Microsoft’s conduct directly harms both competition for and consumers of eReaders, smartphones, tablet computers, and other mobile electronic devices, and renders Microsoft’s patents unenforceable.”
Microsoft continues to operate on the claim that the Android platform infringes on the company’s patents. Any takes on what manufacturer is next?
