Microsoft still hasn't understood this, failing to become a significant force in smartphones or tablets, mainly because it's working from an outdated model of being the Great Copier. Microsoft has always mimicked other technologies, from graphical interfaces to Web browsing to financial software. In some cases, it did improve upon what it copied, but in general the company's approach worked because it was based on an artificial monopoly... The author is too kind. Microsoft blatantly violated patents and copyrights and most of the time got away with it.
If Microsoft couldn’t get away with stealing the technology they would bully companies into licensing the technology by threatening to end cooperation and developer agreements.