Microsoft announces a patent portfolio cross-licensing agreement with Samsung covering mobile devices from each company-- simply put, Microsoft will receive unspecified royalties for each Android device Samsung sells.
Microsoft and Samsung now also have a cooperation agreement in Windows Phone development and marketing.
Samsung is hardly the first company to pay out royalties to Microsoft-- HTC reportedly pays Microsoft $5 for every Android it sells.
Will the Microsoft-Samsung deal "open a new chapter of collaboration" building up to the Windows Phone "Mango" launch? We can't tell, but we do know Motorola is the only major phone maker without Microsoft patent licenses...
