The deal also includes a patent cross-licensing agreement, which presumably means that, specifically, Lenovo is paying Microsoft a royalty for Microsoft intellectual property wrapped up in Android.
Advertisement
So it will create opportunities for Lenovo customers to take advantage of Microsoft’s most used applications making it a win-win, according to Shyam Oza, senior product manager at Microsoft partner AvePoint.
Microsoft launched its IP licensing program in December 2003, since then it has entered into more than 1,200 licensing agreements. “Installing Microsoft apps and services on our devices will bring additional value to consumers around the globe”, he said.
The announcement comes while Google is investigated by the European Union for a possible breach of antitrust rules because Android is bundled with many Google services by default.
Lenovo still did not declare that what all devices will come under this agreement and which product from the company will be first to be shipped pre-loaded with Microsoft productivity apps. That income has recently been faltering due to a fall in shipments of smartphones whose manufacturers have struck licensing deals with Microsoft.
But this time, it’s not Superfish Inc. but Microsoft that will be providing the software for the Lenovo devices.
Of course, the apps could be very useful for those plugged into Microsoft’s ecosystem. Microsoft seems happy to have its software succeed on “competitor” platforms such as iOS, Android, macOS, Ubuntu and more.
Microsoft corporate VP OEM Division Nick Parker said that the company is thrilled with the deal with Lenovo, a press release stated. The firm now sells its Moto-branded (formally Motorola) handsets in the USA and elsewhere, but its Lenovo-branded devices are primarily sold in Asia.
Advertisement
The preloaded apps are the same we’ve seen in previous Microsoft deals with Android vendors, including the Office mobile suite, OneDrive, and Skype. Other Chinese brands such as Xiaomi, Asus, Samsung, and LG have already been in talks with Microsoft over such similar deals with them. The company could be aiming to spread their apps even further to gain more revenue in the long run as their Windows 10 mobile devices are still nothing but a single percentage in the global smartphone market.
