Microsoft has been signing patent deals in the last year with quite a few companies that make Android smartphones. This week, two more of these businesses have signed on the dotted line.
Microsoft revealed that Aluratek and Coby Electronics have reached separate agreements to use Microsoft's patents in their Android and Chrome OS-based devices. As usual, Microsoft did not give the specifics of either of these deals, saying only that Aluratek and Coby will each send Microsoft a royalty for each of their devices that they sell.
In the past, Microsoft has made similar deals with companies like Samsung, LG and others. It also signed a deal with Barnes and Noble for its Android-powered Nook tablet that also lead to a much bigger deal that will generate, among other things, a Windows 8-based Nook app in the future.
Microsoft has reportedly been reaping the benefits of these patent agreement deals with these smartphone companies that use the Android OS. According to a Business Insider article from earlier this year, Microsoft is estimated to get between $3 to $5 for every Android device sold from the companies which have signed these patent deals. These agreements give Microsoft an additional $444 million in annual revenue, according to the article.
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