Summer Release For Lenovo Windows Phone Eyed

Microsoft announced on Tuesday that the first set of Lenovo Windows phones will be released into the Chinese market sometime in the middle of the year. The revelation was made when the tech giant announced upcoming summer release of Windows 10 into the market.

Microsoft revealed that Lenovo is committed to release a Windows phone into the market, which will be initially offered in China through China Mobile.

The mobile OS of Microsoft is currently in third place behind the Android of Google and iOS of Apple in the international smartphone market. Research firm IDC revealed that the market share of the Windows Phone declined from 3.3 percent in 2013 to 2.7 percent in 2014. With the upcoming release of Windows 10 into numerous devices, including tablets and phones, it will be necessary for Microsoft to increase its presence on mobile devices. This is particularly important in the Chinese market, which is considered as the biggest market for smartphones.

Lenovo Windows Phone Coming Soon - image credit: ibtimes.co.in

Since China Mobile is the biggest service provider in China with over 800 million users, Microsoft is expected to benefit from the release of the Lenovo Windows phone through the carrier. A Kantar WorldPanel ComTech report revealed that during the last quarter of last year nearly 73 percent of the market share in China is held by the Android of Google. Apple came in at second with around 35 percent while the Windows Phone has less than one percent of the market.

Microsoft is also aiming to increase consumer interest on the Windows Phone through its agreement with Xiaomi of China. The tech giant will receive feedback on its Windows 10 Technical Preview, which can be installed and tested by Xiaomi Mi 4 users.

A Lenovo Windows phone has been in the pipeline for some time already and the company is one of the Windows Phone 8.1 partners of Microsoft. However, the company has yet to release a Windows Phone device. It remains uncertain if the upcoming device will become available in the international market following its release in China.

Microsoft also revealed that Lenovo will also offer Windows 10 upgrades through its service centers and a number of Chinese retail stores once the operating system reaches the market. The main objective is to make it easier for customers to upgrade their devices to Windows 10. The Chinese company did not release any statements in connection to the reports about the Lenovo Windows phone.

Posted by George Daniels on Monday March 23 2015, 12:30 PM EST. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Technology. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0