CANNES, France-Electronics manufacturing company Flextronics International Ltd. will make a smart phone reference design for companies looking to build devices running Microsoft Corp.’s smart phone operating system, the companies announced today. Flextronics is the 40th company with plans to use Microsoft’s Windows Mobile operating system.
“We’re seeing a very nice ramp up in device partners,” said Scott Horn, a senior director at Microsoft.
Horn said Microsoft will not get any money from Flextronics. Microsoft only stands to gain revenues if another company decides to sell devices based on Flextronics’ smart-phone reference design. A variety of other companies including HTC Corp. and others sell reference designs for devices running Microsoft software.
Other companies that have built smart phones and other devices using Windows Mobile include HP, Dell Computer Corp., Motorola Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Siemens.
