Half of All Android Licensees Now Paying Off Microsoft

Microsoft said that it's now got more than half of the world's ODM industry making Android and Chrome devices in accordance with license

This time it's ODM Compal Electronics, which has agreed to pay Microsoft's patent tax on its tablets, mobile phones, e- readers and other consumer devices running Android or Chrome.

The world's ODM industry making Android

Microsoft said Sunday that it's now got more than half of the world's ODM industry making Android and Chrome devices in accordance with license.

Compal is the tenth company to cut an Android license with Microsoft for its mystery patents. Others include Samsung, HTC, Acer and most recently Quanta, which is making the Android-based Kindle Fires for Amazon and the poorly selling PlayBooks for RIM.

Google CEO Larry Page recently claimed that Microsoft's Android patent will in the end backfire to all appearances because of customer alienation. How that works is unclear. He recommended Motorola Mobility patents will save Android OEMs. He's paying $12.5 billion to buying MMI. Whether MMI's patents have any value is unclear.

Maureen O'Gara the most read innovation reporter for the past 20 years, is the Cloud Computing and Virtualization News Desk editor of SYS-CON Media. She is the publisher of famous "Billygrams" and the editor-in-chief of "Client/Server News" for more than a decade. One of the most respected research reporters in the business, Maureen can be reached by email at maureen(at)sys-con.com or paperboy(at)g2news.com, and by phone at 516 759-7025. Twitter: @MaureenOGara