Microsoft Says Free Windows Has Helped Woo 50 New Phone and Tablet Makers

Microsoft said it has attracted a number of new partners since offering Windows free for devices with screens smaller than nine inches.

Windows chief Terry Myerson said Tuesday that 50 new companies have started making Windows-based phones and tablets since the free Windows program was announced earlier this year.

While Microsoft isn’t saying how it will sell Windows 10 to customers, Myerson said he expects Microsoft won’t charge device makers for using future versions of Windows on smaller devices.

“It’s going well,” Myerson told Re/code, following the company’s Windows 10 event in San Francisco. “I expect we will continue it.”

Windows Phone is now free to device makers, while PC makers can choose to make small PCs and tablets with a free version of Windows that has Microsoft’s Bing services built in.

Microsoft plans to use Windows 10 as its operating system across phones, tablets and PCs. Even Xbox will use the new code, though it has no plans to pick up the Windows brand, Myerson said.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

Will you support Vox’s explanatory journalism?

Most news outlets make their money through advertising or subscriptions. But when it comes to what we’re trying to do at Vox, there are a couple reasons that we can't rely only on ads and subscriptions to keep the lights on.

First, advertising dollars go up and down with the economy. We often only know a few months out what our advertising revenue will be, which makes it hard to plan ahead.

Second, we’re not in the subscriptions business. Vox is here to help everyone understand the complex issues shaping the world — not just the people who can afford to pay for a subscription. We believe that’s an important part of building a more equal society. We can’t do that if we have a paywall.

That’s why we also turn to you, our readers, to help us keep Vox free. If you also believe that everyone deserves access to trusted high-quality information, will you make a gift to Vox today?

One-Time Monthly Annual

$5/month

$10/month

$25/month

$50/month

Other

$

Yes, I'll give $5/month

Yes, I'll give $5/month

We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. You can also contribute via