Microsoft is giving away its popular Windows Operating System for mobile devices for free. The tech giant will be offering their system towards smartphones and tablet manufacturers, in attempt to compete against its current rival, Google's Android system.
The announcement was made by Microsoft, during a conference in San Francisco, which was held once a year. The company intentionally wants their OS platform to have a more wider scope in the market, and also plans to increase consumer use on their cloud base services, Windows Office and Skype.
Microsoft Windows platform were sold to mobile device makers for $5 to $15 per smartphone or tablet before the free offer was made. The cost of the Windows Operating System installed to devices was also charged to consumers. Google Android in the other hand provided their mobile OS for free since it was use by the public in 2008. Currently, Google Android accounts for 75% of smartphones and tablets being used in the market. The Windows mobile OS, and Apple's iOS only accounts for a portion of the entire market.
Globally, the Windows platform only makes up 2% to 3% of all smartphones and tablets being used. Offering the Windows OS for free to mobile device manufacturers may probably increase their market share on the growing demand for these gadgets.
Bill Gates' belief and philosophy about paying for software, which made Microsoft an instant success will be challenge on this new strategy. Some experts considers that the decision of the company to impose the free Windows operating system for mobile devices is very important in its demand for more market shares.
Microsoft will still be employing license fee for business devices that will use their OS, but will be free for smartphones and tablets under 9 inches made by the manufacturers for the general public.
Microsoft announcement for the free mobile Windows OS came just a week after the new company's CEO Satya Nadella released its Office applications to Apple's iPad. Microsoft is also giving a way $100 credits for those Windows XP users that will upgrade their Os to a much newer version.
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