Here’s one for everyone who thinks the patent parade doesn’t have a huge affect on sales when it comes to the mobile industry. As many of us are aware, due to a patent infringement lawsuit brought on by Microsoft, the company receives a share of profit from every Android device sold. According to estimations, Microsoft made three times more profit in Q2 from Android sales than they did from their own Windows Phone platform. The same analyst, Horace Dediu of Asymco, estimated that those numbers were even higher this past May, coming in at 5 times the amount made from WP.
Microsoft is said to have pulled in $21 million from 1.4 million Windows Phone unit licenses at $15 each, while the $5 royalty they receive from Android got them an additional $60 million in Q2. While these numbers aren’t official, it looks as though Microsoft is riding the easy train… and Google is shoveling their coal in the back. Anyone else find this pathetic? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
[via bgr]