Windows 10 Mobile will soon support Xiaomi smartphones

All the news surrounding Windows 10 is focused primarily on desktop and tablet, with little mention of Windows 10 Mobile from any Microsoft executives.

Vice president of Operating Systems Joe Belfiore has finally updated us on Windows 10 Mobile, stating that the Insider program allowing Mi 4 owners to flash the operating system will be open to anyone.

The Insider program allows Mi 4 owners to flash Windows 10 Mobile, swapping out the default MIUI Android skin. Microsoft partnered with Xiaomi to grow the Windows 10 Mobile brand in the country, where it currently holds less than one percent market share.

Belfiore also hinted at more smartphones having this functionality, but declined to mention any partners. Samsung would be the most obvious partner, already working with Microsoft to bring Android apps to the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge.

Other devices like the OnePlus 2, which previously had a deal with Cyanogen to create a custom ROM for the OnePlus One, could be on the menu for Microsoft. Windows 10 Mobile needs to be popular, and OnePlus 2 is the hottest piece of tech currently.

Porting Windows 10 Mobile onto Android devices seems a bit dirty, but it is part of the drawbacks for Google when it designed an open source system. Even with the major launch of Windows 10, its mobile arm does not look to be winning any major partnerships in the next year.

We intend to start our insider program in China with Xiaomi phones in the next few weeks... The software is running very nicely on these!

— joebelfiore (@joebelfiore) July 30, 2015

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.