“HTC Corp. is being shut out of the introduction of Microsoft Corp.’s next Windows software, people with knowledge of the matter said, cutting off another source of revenue after HTC reduced its second-quarter sales forecast by 13 percent,” Ian King, Tim Culpan and Dina Bass report for Bloomberg.
“Microsoft locked out HTC from the development of products using the newest version of its operating system on concern that HTC doesn’t sell enough devices or have ample experience making tablets, said the people, who asked not to be named because negotiations between HTC and other companies are private,” King, Culpan and Bass report. “Microsoft’s decision will keep HTC, maker of the first Google Inc.-branded smartphone, from participating in the electronics industry’s latest attempt to erode Apple Inc.’s lead in tablets.”
“Microsoft, which has tightly controlled the number of ARM- based devices it is supporting at first to ensure quality, opted not to work with HTC after initial discussions with the company, said the two people familiar with the matter. The world’s largest software maker decided to work with other vendors that had greater sales volume and more tablet experience for the first round of devices, the people said,” King, Culpan and Bass report. “HTC engineers wanted to build a Windows device with a customized home screen that would be distinctive to its devices, as manufacturers are allowed to do with Android. Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft (MSFT) refused, said the people, and HTC was left off the list of companies the software maker provided with early versions of the software.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: That’s like denying a cigarette to a late stage emphysema patient.
Microsoft is a spiteful bunch. They didn’t much like HTC riding high for awhile by focusing on Android and all but ignoring Windows Mobile.
[Attribution: Barron’s. Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “breeze” for the heads up.]
So HTC wanted to be unique and try to differentiate from other manufacturers and MS said no. Why would anyone choose one brand over the other? Specs? Colors? All these MS partners are going to be in trouble because the only way to differentiate will be price. So much for making a profit.
So basically they blocked the only hardware manufacturer who makes great devices that are not a carbon copy of Apple hardware???
I have had 2 HTC phones and they are hands down the best hardware builder in Android land.
I’m sure Samsung will be launching a flagship Windows RT tablet that looks just like an iPad running WinTurd 8 but HTC won’t be able to make anything unique.
MS can’t die fast enough.
Except their version of the iPad will be about 1.5 inches deep to accommodate the fans.
LOL
You are probably right!
> Microsoft is a spiteful bunch. They didn’t much like HTC riding high for awhile by focusing on Android and all but ignoring Windows Mobile.
Well, Microsoft “all but ignored” its own Windows Mobile (while working furiously on Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Phone), so they can’t be TOO made at HTC if Windows Mobile went down the toilet.
Hey ken1w, did Microsoft not fund HTC for a while just after iPhone was introduced? Soon as HTC had a working Droid phone to compete against Apple – i AM NOT SURE, but i believe Microsoft was in defence with HTC for one main reason… Microsoft had invested interest in HTC. Perhaps I am wrong.
Wow htc is the oldest maker of smart phones using windows from day one and now the wont provide to them : windows you disgusting company I’ll stick to my mac book pro much better then windows ,
Typical Microsoft – at one time HTC was keeping WinPhone alive.
Partnering with micro$oft is usually a guarantee there’ll be a knife in your back sooner than later.
As if so the so called tablet experience of other manufacturers means anything. In a way that should work in HTC’s favour. Ultimately though, I don’t care either way.
Let’s maximize our marketshare by minimizing the number of hardware partners that use Windows 8. I like their strategy, I like it a lot.