Microsoft and Hon Hai, the parent company of Foxconn, signed a worldwide patent licensing agreement that provides broad coverage under Microsoft's patent portfolio for devices running the Android and Chrome OS, including smartphones, tablets and televisions. While the contents of the agreement are confidential, the parties indicate that Microsoft will receive royalties from Hon Hai under the agreement. Hon Hai joins a growing list of contract manufacturing and original design manufacturing companies with Android and Chrome patent licenses.

"We recognize and respect the importance of international efforts that seek to protect intellectual property. The licensing agreement with Microsoft represents those efforts and our continued support of international trade agreements that facilitate implementation of effective patent protection," said Samuel Fu, director of the Intellectual Property Department at Hon Hai.

Global contract makers that manufacture Android devices, including Hon Hai's local peers, Pegatron Corp, Quanta Computer Inc, Compal Electronics Inc and Wistron Corp, have also signed similar agreements with Microsoft.

Hon Hai is Apple's largest manufacturing partner. The group also makes products for Nokia, Dell, Sony, among others.