Microsoft renews licensing deal with Android OEM Wistron

Microsoft has just reached an agreement with Android OEM Wistron to renew their Android patent licensing deal for the company’s tablets, mobile phones, e-readers, and other consumer devices running Android and Chrome platforms under Microsoft’s patent portfolio.

Eric H. Ma, head of Wistron’s Legal Division commented on the agreement, stating “We’re looking forward to continuing to enhance consumer experiences through our renewed and strengthened partnership with Microsoft”.

“Combining access to Microsoft’s cutting-edge technologies with Wistron’s impressive engineering capacity is a powerful recipe for improved customer solutions,” said Nick Psyhogeos, president of Microsoft Technology Licensing. “Our partnership with Wistron highlights the kind of opportunities created through mutual respect and alignment on intellectual property.”

Since Microsoft launched its IP licensing program in December 2003, it has entered into more than 1,200 licensing agreements, and though it doesn’t exactly reveal the details of these agreements, is expected to rake in about $3 billion every year in revenue. So the tech giant has been making more money off of Android without doing any work than it has with its own Windows 10 Mobile, and according to IDC that isn’t expected to change anytime soon.