Microsoft is apparently trying to push HTC, one of the major Android OEMs, to make Windows Phone run on its Android Phones
HTC engineers are already looking at providing Dual Boot options of Windows Phone and Android for its upcoming devices. This is a surprising turn of events for the software giant, as the company has long stood by its licensing model that doesn’t allow this option of dual boot, but things may be changing fast, as the strategy is rapidly moving towards “Devices and Services”, especially with the announcement of a Nokia acquisition.
For those who don't recall, HTC manufactured the first smartphone powered by Android. It’s hard to see how HTC is reporting a $101 million operating loss in Q3 of 2013, all thanks to Samsung’s dominance of the Android market.
HTC hasn't made a Windows Phone device since July of this year and has yet to unveil any plans to offer a new Windows Phone device. Sprint recently announced the availability of the carrier's very first Windows Phone 8 device, the HTC 8XT.
Many people have supported the idea of making Windows Phone for free for all Windows Phone manufacturers. After the recent acquisition of Nokia, people have been busy expressing their opinions on forums and articles, and one that came up mostly was making the licensing for Windows Phone free for other Windows Phone manufacturers.
With Nokia having 90% market share of Windows Phones, it wouldn’t hurt Microsoft if they make it free for the other manufacturers who have 10% market share. In fact, I think Microsoft will have the advantage in making Windows Phone for free since devices will be cheaper, probably better, and therefore benefit Windows Phone in the long-run.
Windows Phone commands just a 3.7 percent share of the smartphone market, which Microsoft will be looking to increase through its recent agreement to purchase partner Nokia's smartphone division. Similarly, HTC has been struggling to compete against Korean rival Samsung, which dominates the Android handset space. If the two were to co-operate on a phone that dual-boots between Android and Windows, it'd certainly be one of the most unusual smartphone software pairings we've seen in some time.
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