Microsoft is collecting millions of dollars in patent licenses from Original Device Manufacturers (ODMs) producing smartphones, tablets and other consumer devices running Android and Chrome.

Following a recent deal with the Taiwanese firm Compal Electronics, the tech giant now has more than half of the worldwide ODMs for Android and ChromeOS devices now paying it patent royalties. 

ODMs are manufactures that produce products for other firms to sell under their brand.

Compal Electronics, for instance, is...

Google Android has hit 190 million activated devices since release.

A new version of Android’s OS system may be out by the end of the year. Code-named Ice Cream Sandwich, it’s optimized to join smartphones and tablets together.

Larry Page, CEO of Google, said: “I’m super excited about the soon to be released new version of Android called Ice Cream Sandwich. That’s right, Ice Cream Sandwich. You don’t believe what we’ve managed to get done in this...

Android downloads are continuing their encroachment on the dominance of iOS, and could soon overtake their arch rival, according to new figures.

A report by download tracker Xyologic found that Apple was currently still a fair way ahead, with 1.45 billion downloads, compared to Android’s 640 million last month.

However, this could all change within the next year, as both platforms will hold around 3.2bn downloads by June 2012.

Matthaus Krzykowski, cofounder of Xyologic, said: “In the coming...

Facebook has announced its partnership with 33 European partners to launch a range of new social media apps.

Consumers will soon be able to access music, movies and news on their mobiles via Facebook after Spotify, The Guardian, The Independent and Vevo signed up to create their own apps. Developers, meanwhile, will be able to create their own action as part of their app based on the 'Like" social pluggin and be able to customise ways of sharing their content such as "watch" or "read" and which will be...

I’m sure you heard by now that Google has announced its intention to purchase Motorola Mobility for $12.5BN in cash. What was the motivation behind such a large acquisition, and what does it mean for developers?

In their official press release, Google said “The acquisition of Motorola Mobility, a dedicated Android partner, will enable Google to supercharge the Android ecosystem and will enhance competition in...

In its largest ever acquisition, Google has announced that it will buy Motarola Mobility, the tech giant’s phone division, for a massive $12.5bn, launching the global search leader into the mobile handset market at mach 5 and surely shaking up the Android ecosystem almost beyond belief.

The deal is yet to win competition approval, which may not be entirely plain sailing, and brings Google into direct competition with the raft of handset manufacturers that licence the Android OS, providing the company...

The Android operating system has taken the lion's share of the mobile phone market over the past 12 months, according to the latest research from Gartner. Google's operating system, which runs on devices from manufacturers including Motorola, HTC and Samsung, is now the most widely installed in the world, appearing on 43.4 percent of all new smartphones sold in the first two quarters of 2011.

Of the 107.7 million smartphones shipped to the UK over the period, 46.8 million were Android devices - a complete...

Facebook has launched a instant messaging mobile app for smart phones to allow users to message on the go in what they claim is a "simpler and faster" way to communicate. The app, called Facebook Messenger launched yesterday in the US. It integrates Facebook service Messages and aggregates a user’s chat, email and texts into a single, continuous thread. This enables users to send messages to friends or contacts in their phonebook in either a text or notification form while photos and locations can also be added to messages. Unlike Blackberry...

Channel 5 has announced it is to launch a Big Brother app so fans can access their favourite housemate info, games and live coverage via their iPhones, iPads and Android devices.

The reality show, which was bought by Five last year after ten years of success on Channel 4, kicks off with ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ on Thursday 18 August with the apps’ launch set to coincide with the first broadcast, pending approval from Apple.

In addition to pre-roll ads which will be sold by the Channel 5 sales...

Apple is still taking the lion’s share of the paid-for Apps market leaving Google’s Android floundering in the water, according to a report by top UK app design firm, Nice Agency.

The iphone currently remains the market leader in terms of the amount of paid apps on offer - almost three times more than Android currently offers.

“Consumers are willing to pay for Apple apps because they believe they're good value for money,” said co-MD of Nice Agency, Ryan Hall but argued that its...