Microsoft will offer Windows free of charge for smartphones and tablets smaller than 9 inches to gain market share in mobile markets. This strategy change comes as Microsoft faces challenges in mobile and tablets. Microsoft also announced Cortana, a voice assistant for Windows phones to compete with Apple's Siri, and that the newest Windows Phone 8.1 software will be available as a free upgrade in the next few months.

1. Microsoft offering Windows at no cost for
Smartphones and Tablets
Windows free of charge for Smartphones and tablets
A tech review by Yuneswari Muniandy
Microsoft corporations informed that Windows free of charge for Smartphones and
tablets forward customers as it looks onward to make more of an impact on those fast-
rising markets with screens smaller than 9 inches announced at its developer’s
conference in San Francisco. A license fee will still apply for business devices.
"Microsoft is facing challenges on the mobile and tablet fronts and need to change their
strategy to move the growth needle, this is a good and logical first step," said Daniel
Ives, an analyst at FBR Capital Markets.
Microsoft officially announced it has developed a voice activated phone assistant
feature called Cortana, a direct competitor to Apple's Siri. The Cortana service, which
can get verbal instructions to explore the Web, set alerts, make calls and a horde of
other actions, is still in beta testing but will soon be a standard feature on Windows
phones, said Belfiore.
Joe Belfiore announced that the latest version of Microsoft's smartphone software,
called Windows Phone 8.1, will be rolled out to buyers as a downloadable upgrade in
the next few months and new phones running the software will be in stores by late April
or early May.
-- Bernama