The announcement came a day after Microsoft and Google Inc agreed to settle all 18 cases of patent infringement litigation against each other. Microsoft officially announced on its website the agreement with the Taiwanese manufacturer, and confirms its “openness” when it comes to making its software solutions and services available on as many platforms as possible, even at the cost of sacrificing the important exclusivity of its own Windows 10 Mobile operating system.
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Microsoft and ASUS have announced a broadened patent licensing deal that will give ASUS access to more licensed technologies from Microsoft in its Android smartphones and tablets. “We see it leading to broad partnership opportunities for future technologies and a strengthened relationship between our two companies as leaders of the technology industry”. The updated deal covers ASUS’ Android-based phones and software.
Several media reports reveal that Microsoft is not afraid to flex its muscles as head of the Rockstar patent consortium that includes Apple, BlackBerry, and Ericsson. Interestingly, a similar deal appears to have happened with Samsung which settled with Microsoft and subsequently began bundling Office as well.
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The new deal builds on an already existing private deal over Android phones between the two companies, according to a report by ZDNet. Microsoft Office has long since enjoyed the title of a dominant software for all your Office needs; this move will further cement its position at the top. Samsung owners were greeted with a Microsoft folder in their application tray in this generation of flagships that had apps like Office, OneNote and OneDrive inside.
