Microsoft now collects royalties from half of all Android devices

Yesterday, Microsoft reached a patent licensing agreement with Compal, a Tawain manufacturer of mobile gadgets.

The deal is significant because it now sees Microsoft cross an incredible threshold in terms of royalty-generating settlements: the software giant now has such deals with half of all Android devices.

This means that for (very roughly) every second Android device sold in the world, Microsoft is making money. Our last estimate was at well over $400 million annually, but this number is clearly on the rise. A Microsoft rep said the company was "proud" of its accumulating licensing deals.

Can't blame them—how else will they make money in the mobile phone market?

Image: TheTelecomBlog.com