Microsoft has denied having pressured Asus into dropping its Android/Windows dual-boot hybrids claiming that it continues to invest with “OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] to promote best-in-class OEM”.
Last week there were reports that Asus was suspending its laptop tablet convertible dubbed Transformer Book Duet TD300 that runs both Android and Windows.
The Wall Street Journal claimed that Microsoft and Google were pressurising Asus to kill its dual-boot hybrids. WSJ cited Microsoft’s ‘new policy’ that doesn’t allow OEMs to build dual-OS devices. The report didn’t cite any evidence while claiming that Google too was objecting to such a dual-boot device.
Today Microsoft has outright denied these allegations and in a statement to V3 a Redmond spokesperson said “Our policies have not changed, Microsoft will continue to invest with OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] to promote best-in-class OEM and Microsoft experiences to our joint customers.”
Last week’s report speculated that Microsoft may be demanding royalties from Asus as far as its Android patents go, which the Taiwanese manufacturer may have denied.
Google’s stand isn’t clear on this one as it hasn’t provided any official statement yet.
