Huawei drops plans for dual-OS Windows/Android phone
The world's third largest mobile phone company says it will concentrate mainly on Android, but Microsoft is still a key partner
Huawei has revealed that it has no plans to release a dual-OS phone running both Windows and Android simultaneously in the near future.
Speaking to FierceWireless, Huawei said that it will continue to support both platforms but on separate devices.
“Huawei Consumer Business Group adopts an open approach towards mobile operating systems to provide a range of choices for consumers. However, most of our products are based on Android OS, [and] at this stage there are no plans to launch a dual-OS smartphone in the near future.”
This contradicts comments made by Huawei’s Chief Marketing Officer Shao Yang to TrustedReviews. He stated:
“With Windows Phone, one direction for us – and one that we are now following – is dual OS. Dual OS as in Android and Windows together. If it is Windows only, maybe people will not find it as easy a decision to buy the phone. If they have the Android and Windows together, you can change it as you wish and it is much easier for people to choose Windows Phone.”
Yang added: “He think the dual OS can be a new choice for the consumer. It will be on sale in the US in Q2.”
A spokeswoman for Huawei said the company’s plans had changed since Yang made those comments to TrustedReviews at Mobile World Congress in late February.
That’s not to say that Huawei are shunning Windows altogether, as the company said it will continue to work with Microsoft going forward.
“Microsoft is still a key global partner of Huawei Consumer Business Group. As long as the consumers continue to demand Windows, we will continue to supply them.”