UPDATED · News · 9 Nov 2009 · MTW Editorial Team
Seeing as everybody got the story twisted I decided not to report about it earlier. Now that the dust has settled I will try to make things a little bit clearer.. For whatever reason a couple of blogs reported that Microsoft was no longer going to license Windows Mobile directly to OEMs/ODMs and handed this task to a company named Bsquare. Now if you carefully read the press release you will see that what was reported as a “fact” is nowhere to be seen.
What is happening here is that Microsoft is trying to unload some of their licensing work to concentrated on big OEMs/ODMs. What this means is that HTC, Samsung, LG etc are still directly working with MS but smaller companies who wish to build Windows CE & Windows Mobile devices will license through Bsquare.
Here’s a statement from Bsquare:
Microsoft will not be relinquishing all their direct Licensees. OEM’s and ODM’s who wish to develop a WinMo product in relatively low volumes (10K+/yr) now have an opportunity to gain access to the OS. BSQUARE is nimble enough to help smaller customers every step of the way, from toolkits to training, to BSP’s and App porting, to licensing and COA’s. Smaller volume manufactures will definitely benefit from Microsoft’s Channel approach and working directly with BSQUARE.
Case closed
Here’s the full press release
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Use this as the final check before ordering a phone, changing network or trusting a headline monthly price.
