Microsoft is currently in the process of developing software that can ultimately be used to transform Android phones into Windows 10 devices. The Windows ROM is reportedly designed to provide a native Windows experience on Android devices, and is not to be mistaken for a simple skin or change of launcher. Such ROMs are usually installable images of an operating system that are used to replace a device’s own operating system.
The Redmond-based company has revealed an agreement with Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi, based on which some users of the Android powered Xiaomi Mi 4 are getting the opportunity to flash and test their phones with a preview version of the new Windows 10 operating system. These users will then provide feedback to Microsoft and Xiaomi based on their subsequent experience. The program is currently limited to China and Xiaomi devices.
According to Xiaomi, the initiative is fully led by Microsoft and is not a partnership between the two. The Chinese smartphone maker sees its role as limited to assistance with the tests, with the greater involvement coming from users of its Mi 4 devices.
It’s possible that Microsoft picked the Mi 4 due to it being the most likely candidate to have keen enthusiast owners in the country. Similarly, as compared to other regions, consumers in China are considered to be more inclined to install ROMs.
While Microsoft hasn’t made an announcement to expand its Windows 10 transformation technology to support a wider range of Android devices, it is reportedly pursuing such plans, given its new platform agnostic vision for the future. In the long run, it's clear that Microsoft intends to grow its ecosystem of connected devices that are powered by Windows, and in order to achieve this it is willing to pull unsupported devices into the mix.
