The Hills Are Alive With The Sound of HTC-Microsoft Licensing!

"Microsoft Corp. and HTC Corp. have signed a patent agreement that provides broad coverage under Microsoft's patent portfolio for HTC's mobile phones running the Android mobile platform. Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will receive royalties from HTC. The agreement expands HTC's long-standing business relationship with Microsoft. "HTC and Microsoft have a long history of technical and commercial collaboration, and today's agreement is an example of how industry leaders can reach commercial arrangements that address intellectual property," said Horacio Gutierrez, corporate vice president and deputy general counsel of Intellectual Property and Licensing at Microsoft. "We are pleased to continue our collaboration with HTC."

Well here is an interesting story that I've been seeing everywhere this morning. Apparently HTC has inked a licensing deal with Microsoft for the Android phones they sell. Microsoft claims to hold several applicable patents to bits and pieces of the Linux operating system driving Android and thus is demanding royalties from HTC instead of going the Apple "Sue 'Em" route. While some doubt the validity of Microsoft's claim, none have challenged it yet in court. So from this point on, any Android HTC device you buy will see a small bit of $ going to Microsoft. And those of you who went straight from Windows Mobile to Android thought you'd stopped supporting Microsoft financially (With the probable exception of Windows, or Office!).