Microsoft continues to pressure manufacturers of Android smartphones, agreeing its eleventh deal in the form of a patent licensing agreement with LG Electronics.
The south Korean device maker is now clear to use Microsoft patents in its Android smartphones and devices running Google’s Chrome operating system. The deal means at least 70% of Android smartphones sold in the US are now fully licensed to use Microsoft’s intellectual property, Horacio Gutierrez, deputy general counsel of the firm’s IP Group claims.
“We are proud of the continued success of our program in resolving the IP issues surrounding Android and Chrome,” Gutierrez says.
The software giant spent much of 2011 pursuing licensing deals with Android smartphone makers, including HTC, Acer and Samsung. The pressure on its device makers prompted Google to acquire handset maker Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion (€9.7 billion), in a bid to shore up its defenses with Motorola’s patent stack.