Microsoft to Offer Windows Free of Charge For phones, tablets Under 9 Inches

At BUILD 2014, among making several important announcements, Microsoft also announced that it will be giving away Windows free to manufacturers for devices below 9 inch display, as well as ‘Windows on Devices’ which includes things like robots and what not.

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This includes both Windows and Windows Phone. This comes after it was long being said that Microsoft was in talks with companies like Micromax to bring out Windows Phone devices. However, it is believed that Micromax was asking Redmond giant to do away with the license fee before it could start churning out any devices with Windows on them.
Although licence fee has been Microsoft’s bread and butter for many long years, the change in strategy comes after Microsoft’s platforms have failed to take off on mobile devices. With low cost devices turning out to be the biggest sales force in the market, Microsoft not only needs to bring down the cost of its devices by doing away with the licence fee, but also by bringing low cost manufacturers on its team. It might seem like a loss for now, but if Microsoft gains some significant market share from the move, it will be all worth it.