Microsoft signed a patent agreement with the parent company of the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer, Foxconn, to cover devices running Google’s Android and Chrome operating systems.

The agreement with Hon Hai covers a broad range of Microsoft patents with the US firm receiving royalties from the Taiwan-based manufacturer of more than 40 per cent of the world’s consumer electronics.

Microsoft has signed similar licence agreements with other companies offering Android devices, including Samsung, LG, HTC, Acer and Barnes & Noble.

“By licensing both brand name companies and their contract manufacturers, we have successfully increased the overall effectiveness and global reach of [Microsoft’s Android licensing] programme,” said Horacio Gutierrez, corporate VP and deputy general counsel of Microsoft’s intellectual property group.

When the LG licensing agreement was announced in January 2012, Microsoft said 10 previous agreements meant that more than 70 per cent of all Android smartphones sold in the US were “receiving coverage under Microsoft’s patent portfolio”.

Not all Android device makers have signed deals with Microsoft, with the company involved in a dispute with Motorola. It was also previously reported to be in talks with Huawei over patent royalties.

Previous reports have suggested that Microsoft makes more money from licensing its patents to Android device makers than from its own Windows Phone platform.

Microsoft said that since launching its licensing programme in December 2003, it has entered into more than 1,100 licensing agreements.