Microsoft and Dell sign patent licensing agreement for Android, Chrome OS

The two companies will license to each other intellectual property related to Android and Chrome devices, such as "Chromebooks" based on Google's Chrome operating system.

Microsoft is locked in a battle with Google to ensure that handset makers using the free Android phone operating system pay Microsoft a license fee. Most of the larger handset makers, such as Samsung, LG and HTC, have already agreed to pay Microsoft a royalty on Android smartphones that Microsoft believes may infringe its patents.

Motorola, owned by Google but due to be sold to China's Lenovo, is the last big holdout partly because of its trove of patents.

(Also see: Lenovo to buy Motorola Mobility from Google for $2.91 billion)

Notably, Google Inc in February entered into a patent cross-licensing agreement with Cisco Systems Inc, the internet search giant's second such deal in as many months.

(Also see: Cisco and Google enter cross-licensing patent agreement)

The "long-term" agreement was an effective way to help prevent unnecessary patent lawsuits, the companies had said in a statement.

Back in January, Samsung signed an agreement with Google to cross-license their patents, reducing the risk of costly legal disputes over intellectual property and likely fostering greater collaborate between the two tech giants.

Samsung had said the deal covers patents to be filed over the next 10 years as well as existing patents. Google had said in a statement that the deal allows the two to reduce the potential for litigation and to focus on innovation.

Written with inputs from AP and Reuters