14 DAY TRIAL // In the first half of 2009 Microsoft started boasting a complete victory over Linux on netbooks, and with Windows 7 just months away it appeared that the company’s OS would have nothing but clear skies ahead on what the company referred to as ultra-low cost mobile computers. However, even after being installed on over 98% of the world’s netbooks, Windows’s smooth sailing on the market is threatened by another open source operating system, this time from Google.
While Chrome OS will only be launched later this year, a range of original equipment manufacturers have embraced Android as the platform for their devices, including netbooks.
According to DigiTimes, Microsoft’s latest move against Android is to charge royalty fees for the usage of Google’s open source mobile operating system on netbooks from Taiwan-based manufacturers Asustek and Acer.
The Redmond company is reportedly seeking compensation for the patents it holds related to email, multimedia as well as additional Android features and functionality from Taiwanese OEMs.
The move is apparently designed to thwart the adoption of Android and Chrome OS by Asustek and Acer for their netbooks and Tablet PCs, while putting Windows into a more favorable light in terms of intellectual property costs.
The software giant has not confirmed that it is indeed seeking royalty fees from Taiwanese OEMs for the integration of Android or Chrome OS on netbooks or tablets.
Since the story broke, ASUS has denied that Microsoft asked it to pay for any patents that Google’s platforms might be infringing on. At the same time, Acer declined to comment on what it called speculations.
Microsoft has constantly fought to protect its intellectual property, and reached numerous agreements with various vendors dealing with open source solutions.
As far as the Taiwanese OEMs are concerned, the Redmond company already inked an IP agreement with HTC for its use of the Android platform, earlier this year.
More recently, Microsoft filed a complaint against Motorola indicating that the lawsuit is also focused on the manufacturer’s option to include Android with its handsets.