@ThomH
Finally someone that is talking sense!
its also worth noting that nobody here knows anything.
forinstance, we are assuming that these companies are paying out for every device as per the apparent agreement, but perhaps its worth considering that maybe just maybe, its a little deeper than that
Lets take HTC and Samsung as they are big players. If there was any reason for them not to pay out then they wouldnt, that much is clear. Whats more likely is that the agreement benifits all parties which is why they are happy to do it.
HTC and its shareholders sure as hell wouldnt take the margin hit on its devices, stocks would have bombed, so perhaps its likely that there is a cross patent agreement, ill show you mine if you show me yours, it will cost the same and everyone is happy, NET happiness :) ! This isnt restricted to phones, agreements could go all over the place
Thats a possibility, but who knows, no one here does and its wrong to sit here slating MS or anyone else for that matter for trying to pin down others with patents when we havent got a scooby about any of it.
What matters is that you get the best device possible for as little as possible and the chances of that being successful are much higher if all the companies get on with each other, every company may have a patent or two that someone else may like to use, and by getting along makes that all the more likely