Microsoft In Talks with Huawei, Samsung Over Dual-Boot Smartphones and Tablets.

Microsoft to Provide Windows Phone for Free, Compensate Adaptation Costs

In a bid to boost adoption of Windows Phone and Windows RT operating systems by other hardware vendors, Microsoft Corp. is reportedly offering to install its OSes for free onto devices that come with Google Android. According to the report, Samsung Electronics is indeed working on a dual-boot tablet that will feature both Android and Windows RT.

The software giant from Redmond, Washington, is allegedly offering Windows Phone OS for smartphones and Windows RT for tablets for free plus compensation for necessary adaptation costs. The company is reportedly in talks with Samsung Electronics, Huawei as well as HTC over the dual-boot devices plans, but the exact reaction of hardware vendors is unknown.

The value of having two operating systems instead of one seems to be rather compelling, but two OSes require expanded storage, unified application processor and other hardware components that support both Android and Windows.

For Microsoft, giving Windows RT and Windows Phone for free with the purchase of a Google Android-based device gives ability to give users a taste of Windows. If a user is convinced that the latter platform is better than the former, then Microsoft will benefit by adding another client to the eco-system. Given the fact that Microsoft receives payments for every Android-based device (since the platform uses numerous Microsoft patents), it will not lose a lot of money on its dual-boot initiative. As a bonus, Microsoft will be able to claim increases in ultra-mobile market shares.

After Microsoft announced its new software, hardware and services strategy, hardware vendors started to fear competition from the giant. Moreover, after the company launched its own-brand Surface tablets and then acquired Nokia devices business, the threat became real. As a result, makers of smartphones and tablets started to invest more into Android, something that has a direct thread for Microsoft.

Although there are rumours about dual-boot Samsung Galaxy Tab slate with Google Android and Microsoft Windows RT onboard, it remains to be seen how successful the dual-boot initiative will be in general. After all, both Windows Phone and Windows RT did not become popular among end-users because of fundamental flaws and lack of software when compared to Apple iOS and Google Android. Until the faults are fixed, the platforms will continue to command just a fraction of the market.

Microsoft, HTC, Huawei and Samsung did not comment on the news-story.