Recently we picked up on a report claiming that Microsoft is mulling over the possibility of cutting Windows 8 licensing fees so as to get OEMs to develop relatively cheaper notebooks that hold up against the onslaught from Chromebooks. While a formal decision on that is yet to be made public, a new report has surfaced claiming that the company might cut Windows Phone licensing fees as well, apparently by as much as 70 percent. Microsoft is said to be considering this move so as to tackle cheap Androids.
Infosonics, an OEM that deals in low-end Android devices, tells PCMag that Microsoft is going to cut the Windows Phone licensing fees soon. Currently it is believed that licensing fees stand around $20 or $30 per device, a 70 percent cut would mean that it would go down to $6 or $10 per device. This would certainly make it a lot easier for a whole new crop of OEMs to jump on the Windows Phone bandwagon.
Microsoft has evidently been courting OEMs that specialize in this particular segment on the market. It has already hinted the changes that Windows Phone 8.1 will bring, changes such as dual-SIM support, a feature that’s particularly popular in emerging markets such as India. No official comment from Redmond on this report as yet.
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