Bloomberg today reported that Microsoft will offer cheap or even free licensing fees to HTC to get them to make more Windows Phones. Reports have been saying that Microsoft’s proposal is to get HTC to offer Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system on devices such as the HTC One or future phones. The HTC One runs Google’s Android OS.
But these reports got us thinking that this may mean something else. What if HTC intends to dual-boot Android and Windows Phone? According to Android Central‘s sources, HTC is currently experimenting and figuring out the cost of making a dual-booting smartphone.
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.
In my opinion, it does make sense. 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.
Do you think HTC should take this deal? How do you think Google will react with dual-booting Android with Windows Phone? How do you think that dual-booting these two mobile operating systems will affect Android and Windows Phone, and specifically, HTC?