Dual-booting Android/Ubuntu handsets may be the dream for certain hardcore smartphone fans, but dual-booting Android/Windows Phone devices may prove to be quite interesting for a much larger group of users. This particular dream may come to fruition this spring, when the first such handsets will start shipping in the U.S., according to Huawei Chief Marketing Officer Shao Yang’s recent chat with Trusted Reviews.
This isn’t the first time dual-booting Android/Windows devices have been mentioned, though previous reports mainly detailed Android/Windows tablet concepts, with many of them recently referring to Google’s purported opposition to such devices, which will mainly help Microsoft grab more market share in the mobile business.
Huawei’s exec also believes that by pairing it with Android, Windows Phone will become more interesting to buyers than standalone Windows Phone handsets, which themselves aren’t a priority for the Chinese phone maker.
“Compared with Android, the priority of Windows Phone is much lower but is still one of our choices of OS. We are definitely using a multi OS strategy,” Yang said. “With Windows Phone, one direction for us – and one that we are now following – is dual OS. Dual OS as in Android and Windows together,” he further said, adding that “we think the dual OS can be a new choice for the consumer. It will be on sale in the U.S. in Q2.”
However, the exec did not reveal specific details – including product names, specs or prices – for such dual-booting Android/Windows Phone devices. And it remains to be seen whether Google will do anything to prevent such creations. One additional handset maker has already confirmed on working on dual-booting smartphones, the Indian-based Karbonn.
