Microsoft gets ready for war with Android
MICROSOFT is preparing for an all-out assault on the mobile phone market in a desperate bid to regain ground ceded to Google.
The firm plans to unveil a host of new handsets to coincide with the new version of its Windows Phone 7 (WP7) platform – codenamed Mango – slated for release this autumn.
Among the line-up will be the first Nokia handset developed for WP7 following the Finnish firm’s decision to abandon its Symbian operating system to climb into bed with Microsoft, led by Steve Ballmer (pictured).
Industry insiders have described the handset – which City A.M. understands will be fully touch-screen – as a “fantastic piece of hardware”.
It is understood ZTE will produce a low cost smartphone for WP7 that could retail for as little as £15 a month. Samsung and HTC are also expected to release WP7 handsets.
Microsoft has failed to gain any real traction in the all-important smartphone market, with Android storming to the head of the pack and Apple’s iPhone continuing to perform well.
In the first quarter of this year Microsoft had just a 3.6 per cent share of newly sold smartphones, down from 6.8 per cent the year before, according to research firm Gartner.
Android increased from 9.6 per cent to 36 per cent. Apple will also receive a boost from the soon to be released iPhone 4GS.