Microsoft courts Samsung with massive Windows Phone payout

Microsoft courts Samsung with massive Windows Phone payout
Samsung's last Windows Phone was the Ativ S

Nokia and Windows Phone go hand in hand and the Finnish firm is pretty much the only manufacturer now associated with the platform - but Microsoft is looking to change that.

In fact, according to well-connected Russian blogger Eldar Murtazin, Microsoft has wafted $1 billion under the nose of Samsung if the Korean firm agrees to support Windows Phone.

Murtazin tweeted, "Another "good" news from Microsoft - company negotiate with Samsung and offer 1 billion support if vendor will produce Windows Phone devices."

When Windows Phone 8 was launched we saw devices from Samsung, HTC and Huawei all come to the fore, the HTC 8X was even the signature device for the new operating system, but these firms have gone awfully quiet since.

I need a hero

While Nokia has produced some decent handsets - take a look at the Lumia 520, Lumia 925 and Lumia 1020 - none have managed to hit the heights of their Android and iOS rivals and the platform really needs a hero device.

The Samsung Ativ S was the only Windows Phone 8 device to make it out of the Korean firm, but with the global success of the Android Galaxy brand it's no surprise Microsoft wants in on the action.

There's been no mention from either Samsung or Microsoft about this supposed offer, so we're taking it with a decent dosage of salt for now, but we'll be keeping our ears to the ground for any further developments.

Via IntoMobile

John McCann
Global Managing Editor

John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.