Despite HTC Corp’s (宏達電) move to roll out the market’s first slew of smartphones running on the Windows Phone 7 operating system, other Taiwanese handset makers remain less enthusiastic.
“The market is doubtful about Windows Phone 7 ... uncertain that their phones running on this OS will sell well,” said an executive from Asustek Computer Inc (華碩), a top 5 global PC brand.
The executive, who declined to be named, said that Microsoft does not allow makers to change solutions or release source codes for outside developers to use.
Asustek, which will split from its partnership with US portable navigation devices maker Garmin Ltd in January, has no immediate plans to release any Windows-based phones in the near term. Instead, it has joined rival Acer Inc (宏碁) in betting on Android-based smartphones.
Android is the OS developed by Google Inc for use in both smartphones and notebooks.
“There is a very minimal cost to use Android OS,” said Scott Lin (林顯郎), Acer’s president for Taiwan operations.
Acer’s flagship smartphone Stream, which was unveiled in September, is powered by Android.
An official from First International Computer Inc (FIC, 大眾電腦) on Wednesday said Microsoft was taking a 20 percent cut of sales from each tablet that FIC sells.
FIC is rolling out its first tablet, named “Tycoon,” that uses Windows 7 OS in Taiwan tomorrow. The Tycoon will sell for NT$19,800.
HTC, the world’s largest maker of smartphones on both Windows and Android OS, yesterday said it will introduce the HD7 and Mozart — two of the five Windows Phone 7 smartphones it has in the pipeline — in Taiwan over the next two weeks.
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