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.

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