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Microsoft (MSFT) is reportedly working with Qualcomm (QCOM) and others to create a Windows Phone...

  • Friday, January 25, 1:34 PM ET
    Microsoft (MSFT) is reportedly working with Qualcomm (QCOM) and others to create a Windows Phone reference design for Chinese OEMs targeting emerging markets. Creating cheaper WP hardware is critical to taking on Android in China and other cost-sensitive markets - Nokia (NOK) and Microsoft have promised they'll offer $100 (unsubsidized) WP models, but have a ways to go. Separately, Verizon has begun selling the Samsung Ativ Odyssey for a subsidized $50, and will reportedly sell a Lumia 920 variant once AT&T exclusivity ends.
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This news story has 6 comments:

  •  
    This is a bad move imo... they should put their full weight behind Nokia and when/if it actually starts to show reasonable profits buy Nokia out and bring it into the MSFT fold.
    25 Jan, 01:44 PM Reply Like
  •  
    No the problem is WP8 isn't capable of $100 (or less) phones at the moment. MS needs cheaper CPUs and cheaper RAM to compete with Android on the low end, but that'll just make Android cheaper too. That's why Nokia is pushing Asha there (successfully I might add).

    MS would do better to improve the scalability of their software though.
    26 Jan, 07:56 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Good move Sleeping Giant. Even though you are late to the space, I'm confident you will prevail...imho
    25 Jan, 01:59 PM Reply Like
  •  
    China Wireless CoolPad at 619 yuan, less than $100, is eating everybody's lunch. Nokia's Asha 30x is close but they need an Lumia 310 that's at $100-125 with WP7.8, single core, etc etc.
    25 Jan, 06:08 PM Reply Like
  •  
    This is very good news and works completely in the favour of Nokia since it exceeds all other phone manufacturers in low cost production experience. It behooves both Microsoft and Nokia to remain independent but strengthen their existing partnership.

    Congrats to Elop since his strategy has probably and correctly integrated this Microsoft move. Watch how NOK will jump in the next few weeks to above $5 and to $10 by Mar 31!
    26 Jan, 01:45 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Bit of a misunderstanding here -- this does not imply that Microsoft is now making its own phone or going into competition with Nokia, et al. Their reference designs simply define a particular set of baseline components, screen resolution, etc. that the phonemakers are required to build on in order to use the Windows Phone OS on their phones. (Microsoft had one reference design for the original WP7 phones, and they currently have two or three, I believe, for the various tiers of WP8 phones.)

    Now they're creating a new reference design to enable lower-tier, lower-cost phones to be created running the Windows Phone OS. This is good news for the phonemakers -- especially Nokia, since a major part of their expansion strategy involves selling lower-end phones into emerging markets.
    26 Jan, 01:46 AM Reply Like
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