Microsoft and Hon Hai, the parent company of Foxconn, signed
a worldwide patent licensing agreement that provides broad
coverage under Microsoft's patent portfolio for devices
running the Android and Chrome OS, including smartphones,
tablets and televisions.
While the contents of the agreement are confidential, the
parties indicate that Microsoft will receive royalties from
Hon Hai under the agreement. Hon Hai joins a growing list of
contract manufacturing and original design manufacturing
companies with Android and Chrome patent licenses.
"We recognize and respect the importance of international
efforts that seek to protect intellectual property. The
licensing agreement with Microsoft represents those efforts
and our continued support of international trade agreements
that facilitate implementation of effective patent
protection," said Samuel Fu, director of the Intellectual
Property Department at Hon Hai.
Global contract makers that manufacture Android devices,
including Hon Hai's local peers, Pegatron Corp, Quanta
Computer Inc, Compal Electronics Inc and Wistron Corp, have
also signed similar agreements with Microsoft.
Hon Hai is Apple's largest manufacturing partner. The group
also makes products for Nokia, Dell, Sony, among
others.