Microsoft has apparently given Karbonn Mobiles the go-ahead to release phones that boot both Android and Windows Phone.
The manufacturer, based in India, reports that its dual-OS handsets will be released by June 2014.
It aims to get them into the hands of both regular joes and professional users, although no one has outlined exactly what the benefits of the dual-OS set-up will be.
Ease off
Karbonn chairman Sudhir Hasija told the Times of India, "Microsoft has eased the regulations and is opening up its platform for other players. We signed the agreement two days ago and will launch a range of Windows Phones in about three months."
If true, this is the latest in a line of actions that show Microsoft is chilling out about having absolute control over the Windows Phone platform.
Reports surfaced recently that it had asked HTC to combine Windows Phone and Android on one device as well.
As well as letting its new pet Nokia make the Android-based Nokia X line-up, the company has lowered the hardware requirements of Windows Phone so it can run on cheaper phones and soak up some of the big business in emerging markets.
We don't expect Karbonn's dual-booting handsets to hit the UK, US or Australia, however there's a chance that other manufacturers are working on similarly two-faced devices like HTC. We'll keep you posted.
- So how 'bout that Nokia X? Should Microsoft be worried?
Via The Next Web
