By It’s no secret Samsung has had a rough year in the courtrooms. With a ton of battles to endure against Apple Samsung’s headaches strengthened after a recent ruling that initially saw Samsung owing $1.05 billion to Apple for patent infringement.
While that battle is nowhere near finished (we expect a full round of appeals and other legal processes to commence), it seems Samsung’s strategy with their new ATIV line stems from more than just a desire to get into the Windows space.
Speaking with unnamed sources, Korea Times and WMPU has heard that Samsung’s goal is to lessen dependency on Android. Bada isn’t doing it for Samsung in the mobile space, and as a user even I can see that it’s not smart for a company to put all its eggs into the same basket.
Samsung hasn’t been this aggressive with their attempts to diversify their mobile computing portfolio, though, and we suspect their newfound urgency has been brewed by the aforementioned legal trouble they’ve found themselves in.
But that doesn’t mean they’re trying to get away from Android — that just means they’re not willing to risk their place in the ranks of the mobile world should everything come crashing down on their heads. [via WinSource]
Personally, I think it’s just to make awesome devices. I really want a Windows pro tablet and if they made one galaxy note style with a killer dock, I’d ditch android all together.
I’m with you…..
…on the windows Pro tablet part… :-)
Yup I agree. I see nothing wrong with having a Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 7 and surface. I can’t use either nexus device for work but I’m pretty sure I can with surface so why not have all 3 at my finger tips but nothing apple of course.
It makes sense. Play all the tables you can to better your odds. The new windows phone does look really nice and if it comes to VZW i’ll be tempted to play with it.
How much longer before we can run Android or Windows on a single device? Either as multiple Operating Systems or allowing the owner of the device an option to choose the OS at will.
I really doubt it will ever happen.
a dumb idea really. It’s bad enough getting devs and carriers to update ONE OS let alone 2, and a boot loader to go with it. Also, the average user could give 2 cr*ps about running a dual OS phone so there is no market.
Wouldn’t updates to windows come straight from Microsoft ala windows update like they do for people PCs instead of from the manufacturer/carrier? And most people would root the android part for customs roms anyways so they would get updates for the devs of said rom instead of from the manufacturer/carrier. Any ways with the way Microsoft has windows devices locked down you cant even root or install a different OS other then windows 8. One of the rules is that the devices UEFI has to be locked on arm but it can be open on x86 so that people can still install Linux and what not on desktops but Microsoft has the arm platform locked down.
Dual booting OSes is one thing. Being able to choose the OS to run on the phone is another. It would seem easier for manufacturers if they made phones capable of running different OSes, rather than creating hardware variants based on the similar components. Fewer part numbers to deal with, to be sure. Further, the devs and carriers ALREADY have to update for multiple OSes, with the added headache of having to test on all the different manufacturer models. If the hardware platforms became more standardized, it might actually speed up the development process for OS updates.
like the hd2 dual boot
Ive got no problem with this, as long as somewhere down the road Android does not just become a platform for Sammy’s mid range devices.
They have been making Windows Phone since the day WP7 was released. This article was written like Samsung hasn’t touch Windows Phone till now. Just because they came out with WP8 devices doesn’t mean they are trying to drop Android.
Samsung had made WP7 devices, but they were not made with their flagship hardware.
This is probably more of convenience, since the US Galaxy S3 platform uses the same chipset as is supported by WP8. And a smart hedge against Google-Motorola.
Wrong. http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones/SGH-I937OKAATT That’s Samsung GSII Windows phone equivalent from last year…
And the Galaxy S2 came out April 2011.
The Focus S phone came out when? September 2011.
Sounds like the red-headed stepchild to me.
It’s still the GSII equivalent no matter when it was released. Same screen, Same cameras, the only difference being the processor because of WP7 requirements.
let’s not forget that wp7 had hard wear restrictions… so wp8 no longer has as much restrictions.
They put the best hardware that WP7 supported. The limitation was made by MS, not Samsung.
WP8 now allows the use of HD displays, dual/quad core, more sensor MP, etc. So the put better hardware.
I meant in terms of Windows phones being a major focus. Samsung had never pushed a line of Windows devices like they did Android, until now.
How is introducing a phone, tablet at IFA considered “pushing a line”? Considering they left it for the end of the presentation as more of a throw in, I wouldn’t call it pushing anything.
Having an entire line of ATIV products IS pushing a line. You can’t expect them to have a billion devices to start. You have to start somewhere. To date, this is Samsung’s first line of mobile Windows products to get a brand that is designed for long-term marketing.
And who’s to say it was “thrown in?” No one ever said their press conference had to be strictly Android. It was part of the press conference, and it’s as simple as that. I’m sorry that we can’t agree on this.
EDIT: and it was more than just a phone and a tablet, but yes for mobile that’s all it was. Also, did we expect Samsung’s Galaxy line to start with the original Galaxy? Not the Galaxy S, but the plain old Samsung Galaxy. You have to start somewhere.
From The Verge, ”
Ativ is not a global brand” So when it comes to the US it will have a completely different name….not pushing a line, just simply introducing products.
LOL! Yeah that will be the ticket. I can see the headlines now… “Samsung adopts Windows 8 / Windows Phone 8”. Then about 5 months later, “Samsung now valued the same as Nokia, Stephen Elop Rejoices!” Windows RT tablets have a good niche sector and will do well. The full on x86 version has about as much a chance as an ice cube in hell. Microsoft is so late to the mobile game they are playing catch up and whats worse is that they are trying anything and everything to gain some kind of foothold. I do believe they will eventually replace iOS as the second most used mobile OS but Android will still reign supreme across both smartphones and tablets for a LONG time.
Hopefully they’ll use the same build quality from the ativ on future galaxy branded phones
How about something new for a change: stock android as much as possible
that stupid touchwiz is the only things holding me back from buying their phones.
Nobody wants Metro, except for .NET developers and people who think more than 2 colors per icon causes seizures
I like Windows 7 on my PC. Why couldn’t they make the phone look more like Windows 7 instead of making Windows 8 look like their ugly phone?
This is such a silly story – None of the patents Samsung violated are related to core Android – It was Samsung’s touchwiz that did the damage. It seems obvious this is a Microsoft PR campaign. As if anyone cares – Samsung have been using WinPho since it launched – they would be better off licensing BB10 if they want to diversify.
This by far is the best Damn comment I have heard in along time…bravo…..
Smart move of Samsung.
Spit down a well that gives you water? Ya sounds about right
I think consumers will prove to Samsung that Windows is not the way. Sales will be low.
I think its a different market. Android/apple appeals more to consumers. Windows make their bread and butter through enterprise sales. I think its smart for samsung to diversify. You would do the same with your stock portfolio wouldn’t you? You don’t just buy tech or just financial. You buy a variety to protect yourself. Samsung can be the first to be a major player in the consumer market and enterprise. Considering how much attention windows 8 is getting, it may well gain a big market.
I buy android devices for great integration with google services. Windows Phone has great integration with Microsoft services which in my humble opinion sucks… a lot …except xbox live maybe. Bing search is a joke. Bing Maps is even worse. That’s why all windows phones (even the non nokia ones) will have nokia maps and nokia drive by default from now on. Not sure why Nokia agreed to this. I know they get licensing fees but since you can’t build custom UIs with windows phones, how else do manufacturers differentiate themselves? Nokia Maps and drive was their biggest differentiation. Either way, they don’t come close to google’s offerings. Hence they will fail.
As I’ve said a number of times this is stupid. You can tell the decisions are being made by the non-tech suits. Android is putting your eggs in your own basket. No one controls it but you. Google simply gives you a base and an ecosystem. You want to see some lost control just let MS become dominant in the field.
That is a non-reason rumor…
Samsung is what it is right now in mobile communication thanks to Android OS, they are making a real good hardware (for me the best hardware) for Android and they are just applying what they learned to WP.
Samsung is not a company of just 1 phone, or just one model… and they have been using WP OS since before Android, but now they have the skill and knowledge to bring the experience from Android devices to WP.
If the ATIV line follows the evolution and path o the Galaxy line, I am pretty sure WP will recover market and become more interesting and that is good for everyone…
Their goal is to sell as much ‘stuff’ as they can; not to show any kind of allegiance to a single OS. It makes sense for them to sell Windows 8 phones because people will be buying them and that will increase Samsung’s marketshare in the mobile realm. I seriously doubt it has too much to do with them hedging their position in the event Android fails.
If you look at their line up of phones they have 152 different models of phones; from pre-paid flip phones to full featured smart phones. They want to have a part in every mobile market. Not surprising at all.
What is surprising is that they may end up beating Nokia to the Windows 8 market.
This isnt a rumor… its what Samsung said way back when they introduced Wave2