As most of already know, Android is currently the leading platform for smartphones with Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 trailing extremely far behind, although Microsoft hopes that will change with their Mango update and new WP7 devices. However, despite being extremely far behind Android and iOS, Microsoft has still managed to profit from Android sales, due to licensing agreements over some patents that Android has supposedly infringed upon.
HTC has already been paying Microsoft $5 for every Android handset sold, and now it looks like Microsoft will want $15 from Samsung per Android device sold, and considering that Samsung is now the OEM to beat in terms of smartphones, Microsoft will stand to make millions. The Samsung Galaxy S II has apparently sold 3 million units, multiply that by $15 per phone, Microsoft will stand to gain $45 million just by Samsung Galaxy S II sales itself. Suddenly being last isn’t so bad after all, huh?
Samsung has reportedly attempted to bargain for $10 per phone and it is not known what Microsoft’s response is yet. Do you think that Microsoft may hurt their relationship with Samsung by asking for such a high figure per phone, compared to HTC’s $5?
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