Samsung to Focus On Android, Downplays Windows Phone 7

Samsung is apparently moving towards making Android its go-to platform in light of the success of its Galaxy S series smartphones in both the U.S. and in South Korea. While the manufacturer will still continue to work on its Bada software, the main focus will be on Android where customers are raging with hundreds of thousands of daily activations.

Reuters was able to speak with Samsung at IFA where we saw the Galaxy Tab Android tablet earlier today:

“We are Prioritizing our Android platform. Android is very open and flexible, and there is a consumer demand for it,” YH Lee, head of marketing at Samsung Mobile, told Reuters in an interview on sidelines of the IFA consumer electronics fair.

However, being a confirmed Windows Phone 7 partner, Samsung doesn’t seem to think much in terms of the amount of demand for the new platform.

“There is still some professional, specialized demand there,” says Lee.

Well, that settles what Samsung seems to think about the new mobile platform from Microsoft, which just reached its Release to Manufacturers milestone yesterday. That’s gotta hurt Microsoft a little when one of its long time partners thinks its new platform is geared more toward “professional, specialized” markets.

At least it’s not in the same boat as the world’s biggest software platform in terms of market share, Symbian:

Samsung has not introduced new Symbian phones this year and YH Lee said even though the company was ready to introduce further Symbian models if consumers demand them, it had none planned.

“We are not seeing visible demand for Symbian,” she said.

Only time will tell what happens with the future of Windows Phone 7 and Samsung, but it’s pretty clear that the latter is going to ride the success of its Super AMOLED packed Galaxy S devices and continue to move forward with Android.

[Via: Reuters]

About The Author

Marc Flores

Marc has been a mobile fanatic for the better part of a decade and has had more devices pass through his hands than he would care to count. Originally from Los Angeles and briefly in San Francisco, Marc now lives in Brooklyn where, unlike Will Park, he longs for simpler times and simpler technology. All the while, he writes about gadgets and wireless technology as he tinkers, hacks and ultimately breaks most of his gadgets in the process. Marc has written about the mobile industry for Boy Genius Report, MobileCrunch, Laptop Magazine and has had his work appear in the Wall Street Journal, Gizmodo, CrunchGear and more.

symbolset

Ouch. Out of eight handset vendors that leaves only HTC and LG supposedly enthusiastic and everyone else backing away slowly, and RTM was only yesterday. One might wonder what these last two think of that, especially after they start trying it on their hardware.

After the Kin fiasco due diligence should demand at least some focus group testing before they fire up a production line for hundreds of thousands of units. The initial production run of Kin cost Sharp $67M, for at most less than 10,000 units sold.
JoJo

This is a disaster for Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7.

It is now becoming clear that it is not working. Microsoft has lost the mobile war.
pampado

well only time will tell. Android had 1 handset at launch. The smart phone market is not about taking current market share but rather capturing new entrants who probably wants the latest gadget on the market. I know guys who r now fed up with Iphone as it continues to become less and less differentiated from other offerings out there such as Galaxy S. Watch this space this time next year and you might just have your head in the sand hiding with shame.
Realist

Samsung is just to trying what is there in there inventory. They had made a lot of Android units, which they had kept unsold. After Windows Phone 7 comes they will just change the tone for sure. Its almost certain that WP7 will be a cash cow for Microsoft and thier partners. Samsung had very clear idea when to switch thier tones.

I dont see any chance for iOS, if there is someone to compete with WP7 offering it will be Android. But currently with the offerings WP7 is way ahead. Be it gaming, media or productivity tools WP7 is ahead. Then there are iPhone fans, Android fans, Microsoft fans. There are techies who wants to save jobs who have no other job than positing biased comments on the platforms which would save the job. But in the longrun realities emerge as fanboism disolve.

Anyway Consumer wins. So its got to be good.