The last time Samsung made a Windows Phone it was the Windows 8 Samsung ATIV SE, a Verizon Wireless exclusive back in the spring of last year. Samsung hasn’t even bothered with an out-of-the-box 8.1 device since. But the smartphone maker is interested in making more Windows Phone handsets. Only that pesky Android royalties legal battles stands in its way.
The Korea Times says that official sources can confirm that Samsung has been running “pilot programs” to test the stability of Windows 8.1 on current devices. But the companies won’t do anything until the two come to some agreement over the now colossal battle regarding Android royalties.
If the two mega-companies are able to come to terms, we could see more Windows-powered devices from Samsung as early as this fall, possibly running Microsoft’s new Windows 10 mobile platform.
Whether Samsung would outfit existing phones with Windows, much like the HTC One for Windows, or create completely new devices is uncertain, but right now the focuses does seem on “cheaper” handsets, whatever that means. Either way, it would further their plan to slowly ween off Android but not be solely dependent on its nascent Tizen OS.
It’s a lot of business-y mumbo jumbo at this point, but would Samsung hardware running new and improved Windows get you to jump your current OS ship? [Korea Times via WMPoweruser]