Report Claims Microsoft Limiting Release of Windows RT to OEMs

Microsoft is tightly limiting the release of Windows RT to OEMs during the initial launch period and then will lift the restrictions in January, according to an unconfirmed report by the China Economic Times.

The Times says that Microsoft has enforced partnerships between ARM chipset vendors and OEMs: NVIDIA is teaming with Lenovo and Asus, Texas Instruments is partnering with Toshiba, and Qualcomm picked both Samsung and Dell.

Initially Qualcomm is said to have picked HP for its OEM partner, but with HP going to x86 for its first Windows tablet Qualcomm is bringing in Dell instead.

Microsoft’s rationale in strictly controlling which OEMs have access to Windows RT is to prevent the market from being flooded with low quality Windows RT tablets.

Reportedly HTC has been barred from manufacturing Windows RT tablets, as Hardware Canucks reported in June.

As Windows RT tablets are likely going to be the theme of January’s Consumer Electronics Show, more details are expected closer to then.