Microsoft eyes 50% Taiwan smartphone OS market share; no plans to develop own-brand mobile phones

Microsoft aims to boost sales of its Windows Mobile OS for handsets to account for 50% of Taiwan's smartphone market in 2009, compared to 40% recorded in 2008, according to Eddie Wu, managing director of Microsoft ODM embedded devices, Asia.

In addition, the ratio of smartphone sales in Taiwan is expected to exceed 10% of the entire handset market in 2009, up from 9% projected for this year, Wu added.

In a response to market rumors speculating that Microsoft might develop its own handsets, Wu stated that Microsoft has no plans to venture into the production of own-brand handsets, and instead it will continue to focus on the development of platform products as well as its cooperation with hardware makers and telecom service providers.