Bloomberg is reporting that Microsoft is excluding HTC from its list of manufacturers who will utilize the Redmond-based giant’s latest operating system. The publication says that sources familiar with the matter told them that Microsoft blocked HTC from the development of products using the newest version of its operating system on concern that HTC doesn’t sell enough devices and that it lacks experience in making tablets. Ouch!
Sources allegedly told Bloomberg that Microsoft has opted to work with other manufacturers that have better sales and more tablet experience. Apart from that, HTC reportedly had plans of building a Windows device with a customized home screen, to which Microsoft has denied and refused. Bloomberg explained that Microsoft has tightened the control of ARM-based devices running on its latest platform to ensure quality once the product is finished.
Matthew Thornton, an analyst at Avian Securities LLC, reduced his own rating of HTC saying ““things just get worse from here and it’s a very bleak outlook.” “Every consumer knows about Samsung’s Galaxy platform and the iPhone, and you are starting to see consumers coalesce around them,” Thornton added, commenting about HTC’s current disposition in the marketplace.
Meanwhile, Microsoft responded to the report in an e-mail statement citing HTC as a strong partner of Microsoft “now and for the future”. HTC, on the other hand, replied in an email saying “HTC intends to support future versions of Windows and isn’t commenting on the details of its product plans”. For now, we can’t confirm the veracity of the report. So, let’s add a pinch of salt before the issue is finally cooked. But one of the sources mentioned that HTC may release a Windows device later, probably in a second round of products to come next year. We’ll see more about that.