J
Jared Peters
Guest
It’s no secret that Microsoft owns quite a few patents that they license out to anyone wanting to make an Android device. Microsoft has revealed a handful of these patents since they’ve begun filing lawsuits, but there’s no definitive list of just how many patents Microsoft uses in licensing negotiations.
However, a Chinese government agency has cleared up some of the mystery surrounding Microsoft’s patent portfolio by publishing a very comprehensive list of 310 patents thanks to a Chinese antitrust review that Microsoft was going through. The list describes patents ranging from Microsoft’s in-house developments, as well as patents they acquired through the Rockstar Consortium last year. 73 of the patents were listed as standard essential patents, 127 of the patents Microsoft claims are used in Android, and then there are 68 patent applications and 42 “non-essential patents.” Out of those 310 patents listed, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce decided that about 200 of the patents were vital to building an Android device. That’s pretty substantial.
Microsoft brings in a ton of revenue from licensing patents out to Android OEMs. Estimates put it between $1 and $2 billion per year, but it could be much higher. Up until now, we haven’t really known how much legal leverage Microsoft has over Android manufacturers, but thanks to this information (that Microsoft probably isn’t too happy about) we can just how useful a strong patent portfolio really is.
source: Ars Technica
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