Microsoft deepens China cellphone ties

Microsoft aims to increase its market share in the mobile phone operation system market through cooperation with D.Phone, one of the largest mobile phone retailers in China.

Microsoft and D.Phone jointly announced in Beijing on recently that they would cooperate on opening experience stores in China based on Microsoft's mobile phone operating system Windows Mobile, promoting Windows Mobile to users, and selling Windows Mobile based smartphones.

Chen Jingxin, director of Microsoft Mobile Communications Business Greater China, disclosed that the sales of Windows Mobile mobile phones increased 260% in the existing nine experience stores jointly opened by the parties.

Windows Mobile experience stores are mainly set up inside the retail outlets of D.Phone. The parties plan to increase the number of such stores to no less than 50 in the coming months.

Chen also disclosed that apart from the cooperation with D.Phone, Microsoft has also and has opened 21 Windows Mobile experience stores with Digital China in a number of first tier and second tier cities.