Asus agrees bundle deal with Microsoft deal for Android devices

The deal between Asus and Microsoft comes just a few days after Microsoft and Google agreed to put a stop to their multi-year patent litigation battle over smartphones and the company’s Xbox video game console. It is true that since the arrival of Office on the iPad for example, it has become hard to see what could justify the use of Apple’s own office suite (iWork) in a pro environment since the apps offered are lacking in features compared to Microsoft’s apps; the same point could also be made about Android devices.

As almost two dozen vendors of products with Linux, Android and Chrome OS are doing, Asus seemingly is licensing Microsoft’s patents to cover anything in those operating systems that potentially infringes on Microsoft’s intellectual property.

ASUS will install Office apps and other “innovative product solutions” from Microsoft on its Android phones thanks to a new patent licensing deal.

Microsoft has been teaming up with different OEMs as of late, and with their partnerships they are basically bundling their apps and services onto a variety of mobile devices. Asus however had no public patent arrangements with Microsoft, and none at all involving Android, making this move a first for the company.

Also, the deal is meant to pave the way for closer integration between Microsoft and Asus. However, we should expect the company’s phones to be loaded with the Redmond giant’s software portfolio’s highlights.