Canon and Microsoft have announced a broad patent cross-licensing agreement that will see each company gain licenses to each other’s highly valued and growing patent portfolios.
According to Microsoft’s press release: This agreement covers a broad range of products and services each company offers, including certain digital imaging and mobile consumer products. … Contents of the agreement will not be disclosed.
The agreement is expected to benefit both companies, enabling Microsoft to include Canon’s imaging technologies in the new smart-phones it is developing since purchasing Nokia’s Devices and Services business last year. Canon will benefit be being able to utilise Microsoft’s wireless connectivity expertise. It will be interesting to see whether any new products or technologies resulting from the alliance are announced at Photokina in September.
