Mobile-Review.com’s Eldar Murtazin reports Microsoft will be making $2.6B in “support” payments (likely including marketing spend) to OEM partners in 2014 to compel them to make one Windows Phone apiece.
Samsung is said to be receiving $1.2B, Sony $500M, Huawei $600M, and other firms $300M.
If the report is accurate, it suggests Microsoft’s Windows Phone investments could more than negate the considerable Android royalties it stands to receive this year.
It comes just as evidence appears Samsung is prepping a Windows Phone with a 5″ 1080p display. The phone’s inclusion of a 3G EV-DO radio (to go with a 4G LTE radio) suggests it could be sold by Verizon and/or Sprint.
Sony recently confirmed it’s talking with Microsoft about making a Windows Phone. With Nokia’s soon-to-be-acquired phone unit accounting for the lion’s share of WP sales, Microsoft has made expanding OEM support a priority.
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