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Microsoft now scalping patent royalties from 70% of Android device makers globally

By Daniel Petrov

Published: Jul 10, 2012, 5:07 AM

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Microsoft now scalping patent royalties from 70% of Android device makers globally

With the last two scalps it gathered from two smaller Android manufacturers - Coby and Aluratek - Microsoft is already at collecting royalties from 70% of all companies that make devices running Google's mobile OS.

These include some pretty big names, like Samsung, and a bunch of smaller players as well. Samsung alone must be injecting quite a lot of cash to Redmond, considering how many millions of Android smartphones it sells, and the fairly significant per-device amount rumored to change hands.

It is not yet disclosed what patents have been infringed upon, although there is some speculation that the Galaxy Nexus and other phones lately don't come with memory card slots, because of the patented FAT file system needed to be used, which results in royalty payments. That's a speculation, though, and will be until someone peeps into the contracts and lets us know exactly which functions that Microsoft has patent-protected since the dawn of WinMo, are exactly in play here.

source: SlashGear

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena from 2010 to 2025, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.