Goldman Sachs figures that Microsoft is going to get a whopping $444 million from Android manufacturers for the 2012 fiscal year (July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012). Estimates peg Microsoft receiving $3-$6 per Android device sold. The software giant has settlements with big Android contenders; the likes of Samsung and HTC among others. While $444 million sounds like a ridiculous number, it’s a drop in the bucket when it comes to the grand scheme of things. According to Goldman, Microsoft’s revenue for fiscal 2012 is an estimated $75 billion. So that money they’re gleaning from Android…comparatively it’s almost nothing, especially when you consider how crippling Android has become to Microsoft’s own Windows Phones.
[via businessinsider]