China's largest smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi announced Wednesday an agreement with US computer giant Microsoft, with which it hopes to consolidate its international expansion.
This "long-term partnership" provides for exchange of patents and commitment that Xiaomi preinstall on their mobile software from Microsoft (Office and Skype), according to a statement from the two groups.
Xiaomi phones running Android - the mobile operating system of US Google--, but the Chinese had already collaborated with Microsoft for Tablet My Pad.
With this new partnership, the Chinese manufacturer may use "about 1,500 patents" of Microsoft, covering different areas, from wireless communication to video, the 'cloud' (storage of information on the Internet) and multimedia technology, according to a Xiaomi spokesman quoted by Bloomberg.
The transaction amount was not specified.
"Everyone wins. Microsoft uses its intellectual property (patents) to attract players like Xiaomi vulnerable" and "strengthen their alliances," said Neil Shah, analyst cabinet Conterpoint Research, quoted by Bloomberg.
Microsoft announced the alliance at the same time recognizing that will demarcate the direct production of smart phones, an activity launched in 2013 with the purchase of a division of the Finnish company Nokia.
For its Xiaomi part, which was founded in 2010 and whose name means "millet" happened in a few years from a simple "start-up" to become a new industrial giant, imposing itself as number one in the Chinese mobile phone market , ahead of the US Apple.
However, their success comes down to China, where it sells 90% of its models.