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Microsoft signs Compal to patent licensing agreement for Android and Chrome

Microsoft signs Compal to patent licensing agreement for Android and Chrome

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Android Patent Licensing map
Android Patent Licensing map

When Microsoft obtained Samsung's compliance, it was clear that the days of Android being a free operating system were over. Now, Redmond's added Compal and Quanta to the patent-licensing tally, and extending its war on Google towards the Chrome OS as well. You may have never heard of either Quanta or Compal, but each ODM is a definite force in the industry — they manufacture and even design many of the laptops, tablets and smartphones you've seen and used, which typically get bought and rebranded by more familiar companies. With Quanta signing a patent license agreement ten days ago, and Compal today, Microsoft says that over half of Android devices will be formally licensed. Who will the rival Windows Phone manufacturer set sights on next? There's a handy chart pictured immediately above that may satisfy your curiosity.