Submitted by “One company – Taiwan’s Foxconn – makes a staggering 40 percent of the world’s consumer electronic devices. Starting now, Microsoft will be getting paid a toll on many of those devices. The company’s long patent-licensing campaign has landed its biggest client yet in licensing Foxconn, formally named Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Foxconn has agreed to take a license for any product it produces that runs Google’s Android or Chrome operating systems.” More protection money for the Microsoft patent mafia.
It’s easier to attack smaller targets like HTC or Foxconn because they don’t have Apple’s, Google’s or Samsung’s money to defend in courts. And they don’t have many patents of their own to countersue.
I think taiwanese companies – Asus, VIA, Acer, Foxconn, HTC – should assemble a national pool of patents to defend against the likes of Microsoft. Korean companies like Samsung should do the same. Chinese companies don’t have to worry as much.
We are blessed in EU, we don’t produce almost any electronic devices so no one can sue us.
Edited 2013-04-17 22:54 UTC
Well, it’s not like the U.S. produces much computer hardware either. It mostly comes from China/Taiwan. Assembly of imported parts seems to be about all this country is really good at (aside from making criminals out of everyone). It’s just that here, we use stupid-ass software patent law to bully anyone around who dares sell a product on U.S. soil–whether it was actually made in the U.S. or not.
Edited 2013-04-18 00:35 UTC
It’s easier to attack smaller targets like HTC or Foxconn because they don’t have Apple’s, Google’s or Samsung’s money to defend in courts. And they don’t have many patents of their own to countersue.
I think taiwanese companies – Asus, VIA, Acer, Foxconn, HTC – should assemble a national pool of patents to defend against the likes of Microsoft. Korean companies like Samsung should do the same. Chinese companies don’t have to worry as much.
We are blessed in EU, we don’t produce almost any electronic devices so no one can sue us
Microsoft has been doing this for decades through copyright law. Now they are abusing patent law too.
Microsoft is heavily dependent on copyright and patents for their monopoly to function. As you know 70% of Microsoft’s profits come from windows and office, that means 70% of their profits comes from copyright licensing fees, now they are getting patent fees too.
Not only does copyright protect Microsoft’s software from being redistributed, it also protects their source code, their api, their kernel from being used by any software developer (ie preventing windows from being forked). For example direct x can only be used in the windows operating system, if ms wanted to be more fair they can at least make DX open source and cross platform but because their software is protected under IP they don’t have to. Therefore the consumer is locked to using windows for their gaming needs. Windows of course despite the support it gets, is terrible for gaming.
Edited 2013-04-18 01:12 UTC
There are millions and millions and millions and millions of Windows gamers who would disagree with you. As a matter of fact, you’re the only one I’ve heard whining about Windows gaming in forever so really I think you’re just whining about Microsoft in general.
Nor software it seems
, given the amount off-shore projects I have been involved in the last few years.
“It’s easier to attack smaller targets like HTC or Foxconn…”
Seriously? Foxconn has $100bn annual revenue and more than 1 million employees.
Edited 2013-04-18 08:12 UTC
Smaller targets?
Foxconn has 1.3 million employees.
It is the world’s largest electronics contract manufacturer measured by revenues.
[NT$ 3.452 trillion (2011)]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxconn
Yes, but what’s the market capitalization? They aren’t anywhere near as powerful as Apple, Google or even Samsung.
They sell in big numbers but their profit margin is low.
Edited 2013-04-18 14:56 UTC
And you do know that Microsoft already has patent agreements with Samsung and Apple and is suing Google and Motorola, right? That all of this occurred (suing Motorola/Google and getting agreements with Samsung and Apple, your claimed “big fish”) well ahead of your claimed early attack on a “little fish”?
Despite Samsung having a licensing agreement with Microsoft and Samsung being the largest distributor of Android, FoxConn will still qualify as their largest source of patent revenue.
God, some people are just absurdly misinformed.
Edited 2013-04-18 15:31 UTC
Lets not forget that Microsoft are suing Motorola mobility which _is__ entirely Google……
http://www.itworld.com/it-management/341049/judge-invalidates-13-mo…
and lets not forget that Samsung are already paying MSFT ….
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/samsung-signs-microsoft-patent-…
Edited 2013-04-18 18:22 UTC
Will Microsoft still collect from Foxconn clients?
They said they won’t collect the licence twice
What are they actually paying for?
What patent is in use for those Android devices that Microsoft gets money for and why isnt it fixed?
Edited 2013-04-18 08:06 UTC
> “Biggest patent licensee”
Really ??
What about Sammy ?
It’s supposed to produce more Android devices than its competitors combined, let alone those which are built by Foxconn And don’t already have a license with MS…
Why does this “protection” include Chrome OS? Are they afraid of it?
The Android tax on Foxconn would turn out cheaper for Phone/Tablet designers, provided that Foxconn is their manufacturer. Well, that’s if their lawyers had forethought.