Microsoft-Built Smartphone Could Irritate Hardware Partners, Harm Nokia 100
Nerval's Lobster writes "Rumors have circulated for weeks that Microsoft intends to release a smartphone of its own design and manufacture, embracing the strategy that drove Apple's iPhone to such enormous success over the past few years. While releasing a branded smartphone offers several potential benefits—look at the revenue and brand recognition Apple's earned as a result of the iPhone—such a strategy also carries significant risks for Microsoft. First, it could alienate smartphone partners such as Nokia, which would find itself competing against a high-end device backed by Microsoft's sizable marketing dollars. (Given the Finnish phone-maker's already perilous situation, that could prove ruinous.) But a branded smartphone could also convince hardware manufacturers that Microsoft really is 'all in' on building its own devices, which could lead to all sorts of drama."
Re:So... just like Google? (Score:5, Informative)
Nexus One smartphone, manufactured by HTC, released January 2010
Nexus S smartphone, manufactured by Samsung, released December 2010
Galaxy Nexus smartphone, manufactured by Samsung, released in November 2011
Nexus 7 tablet, manufactured by Asus, released July 2012
Nexus Q, a media-streaming entertainment device, released June 2012
Nexus 4 smartphone, manufactured by LG, released November 2012
Nexus 10 tablet, manufactured by Samsung, released November 2012
that different
Will they re-use the Kin brand? (Score:5, Informative)
There is probably a lot of "slack" in the Windows 8 phone pricing as well - if the Windows RT "OEM license fee" is 80-95$ [extremetech.com], the Phone OS OEM price can't be far off. I'm sure Nokia, HTC and Samsung won't mind if they've got to add an extra 80$ in cost for each phone they produce which Microsoft doesn't have to worry about..