Windows Phone Thoughts: Microsoft Wants Sub-$300 Pocket PC Phone Edition Devices

"Microsoft plans to team up with Taiwan ODM handset makers and own-brand handset vendors to manufacture sub-US$300 PDA phones in a bid to help the company expand its share of the global OS (operating system) market for mobile devices, according to sources at Taiwan makers and vendors. Microsoft has already exchanged ideas about the potential project with its major partners in Taiwan, including High Tech Computer (HTC), Quanta Computer, Asustek Computer, Acer, Mitac International, and BenQ, the sources noted. Most Taiwan makers generally support Microsoft's plan to optimize its mobile operating system, but they said there still is a long way to go before the software vendor and local handset makers can jointly bring down overall production costs for PDA phones."



As long as these budget devices aren't complete failures (say, iPAQ rz1715 sort of failure, ahem), it sounds like an awesome idea - but is it feasible? The president of Dopod International thinks it will be very difficult to manufacture such devices without losing money, while the chairman of E-TEN thinks it will be very possible in the next couple of years. You decide. Wouldn't it be nice to upgrade your Phone Edition device every couple of years without sacrifcing your kidneys?