Foxconn sells communications tech patents to Google
The companies didn't specify the number of patents sold, the purchase price, or the exact technology involved.
Foxconn, the massive electronics manufacturer that has made a name for itself building products for prominent tech companies including Apple and Microsoft, has sold some patents to Google.
The manufacturer, which is based in Taiwan but operates primarily in China, announced the deal Friday, saying that it has sold an unspecified number of patents to Google related to communications technology. The companies did not say how much Google paid for the patents or what technologies they were specifically based on.
Hon Hai Precision Industry, which goes by the name Foxconn, says that it currently has over 128,000 patent applications and has been granted more than 64,000 patents. Although the company focuses its operation on manufacturing, it has invested heavily in intellectual property over the years and said in a statement on Friday that it wants to try to get more value out of those assets in the coming months and years.
Google and Foxconn are no stranger to patent deals. Last August, the companies announced that Foxconn had sold "a portion" of its wearable display patents to the search company for an undisclosed sum.
CNET has contacted the companies for comment. We will update this story when we have more information.
(Via WSJ)