HomeWinBuzzer NewsMicrosoft Signs Android Patent Licensing Deal with Rakuten, Renews Agreement with Wistron

Microsoft Signs Android Patent Licensing Deal with Rakuten, Renews Agreement with Wistron

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Patent licensing is the name of the game when it comes to the bottom line and has secured yet another new partnership in the form of Rakuten, as well as extending its deal with Wistron.

Rakuten is a tech and e-commerce company based in Japan. The patent licensing agreement will cover electronic devices running and Linux, which we can probably expect coming in the near future.

Nick Psyhogeos, who heads Microsoft's technology licensing group, has this to say about the deal.

“Our agreement with Rakuten reinforces the opportunities that cross-licensing can bring to companies across the technology spectrum. We're pleased to have found a mutually beneficial path of collaboration that will ultimately benefit customers.”    

Meanwhile, Rakuten's managing executive officer and director, Akio Sugihara believes that the licensing deal with Microsoft will provide customers with “new and exciting products.”

Not to be missed is the licensing agreement extension that Microsoft has signed with Wistron Corporation, the electronic maker from Taiwan.

The deal means Wistron can continue selling its line of Android and Chrome-based tablets, smartphones and e-readers, as well as other consumer devices.

It is worth noting that the Android patent licensing deals with Rakuten and Wistron won't include the usual bundling of Microsoft apps, such as OneNote, Word, Powerpoint, and Excel, onto the devices.

Other partners

Microsoft has been on a roll in getting more manufacturers to join the list of growing partners that have signed a patent licensing agreement, a list that also includes Olio and Asus.

The latter joined the “squad” back in November of last year. Other major OEMs that are now on Microsoft's good side are Samsung, Sony, and Dell.

While there's no official figure, Microsoft reportedly makes around $3.4 for every Android device sold, thanks to its sizeable IP portfolio. Samsung's royalty payment alone reached over $1 billion back in 2013.

SOURCE: ZDNet

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