With Google facing anti-trust investigations and lawsuits in numerous countries over how it bullies companies into using Google-branded services on their Android devices, this is the perfect time for its competitors to try and wrest control of the mobile operating system away from Google. The problem is, in order to do this, the companies making the Android devices need to have apps and services to replace the Google-branded ones, which is where Microsoft comes in. Microsoft has been securing deals with smartphone and tablet makers in order to get its own products bundled with those devices, the latest of which ASUS. Not only will ASUS start bundling Microsoft apps with its future devices, the two companies will be sharing technology in order to bolster innovation and improve their respective products.
Microsoft Corp. and ASUSTeK Computer Inc. (ASUS) on Thursday announced the expansion of an earlier patent licensing agreement between the companies. The deal includes a broad cross-license covering, for example, ASUS Android-based phones and tablets and Microsoft software, devices and services. It paves the way for closer integration between the two companies, including pre-installation by ASUS of Microsoft Office productivity services on ASUS Android smartphones and tablets. The agreement also facilitates technology sharing toward the development of new, innovative product solutions. “This agreement delivers significant value for both companies. Beyond ensuring continued improvements to our products, it opens the door to the kind of collaboration between Microsoft and ASUS made possible only through mutual respect and alignment on intellectual property,” said Nick Psyhogeos, president of Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC. ASUS General Counsel Vincent Hong said, “This agreement will give us both a greater ability to innovate for our customers. We see it leading to broad partnership opportunities for future technologies and a strengthened relationship between our two companies as leaders of the technology industry.”
