Microsoft Testing Smartphone with Component Suppliers Says WSJ

According to the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft continues its new goal to start making its own hardware like Apple, and is testing smartphone designs with its suppliers in Asia:

Microsoft is working with component suppliers in Asia to test its own smartphone design, people familiar with the situation said, suggesting the computer-software giant is increasingly adopting a variation of a business model favoured by rival Apple Inc., which designs computers and phones along with the software that powers them.

One source mentions the screen size being tested is between 4 to 5 inches; anonymous supplier officials mention there’s no confirmation whether the testing of these smartphone designs will result in mass production.

Just over a year and half ago, Microsoft and Nokia shocked the world when they announced a partnership to “disrupt mobile ecosystems,” yet the tech world still awaits what kind of magic the two companies can produce. Nokia recently launched their Lumia 920 on Rogers that runs Windows Phone 8.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has previously mentioned Windows Phone 8 has things “you won’t find on iPhone or Android” and also stated their recent Surface tablet will offer consumers a product they can really use, unlike other tablets seen from rivals such as Google, Amazon or Apple. This summer, Ballmer noted in Toronto Microsoft would not “leave any stone unturned” to its rival Apple.

Will Microsoft succeed in capturing smartphone and tablet marketshare or has it come down to Android and iOS? Maybe they’ll gun for third spot like what RIM aims to accomplish.

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