Microsoft will consider building its own smartphone if its partnerships with Nokia and HTC fail, according to Bloomberg.
Bloomberg's report says Microsoft is waiting to see how well Nokia's upcoming Lumia phones and HTC's upcoming Windows Phone 8x and 8s sell before deciding to pull the trigger on its own hardware.
Rumors have been going around for weeks now that Microsoft is considering making its own smartphone running the new Windows Phone 8 operating system, just like it decided to make its own tablet, the Surface.
The WSJ reported earlier today that Microsoft was testing its own smartphone with carriers in Asia.
Both HTC and Nokia are expected to launch their new Windows Phones in the U.S. this month.
Nokia's first major Windows Phone release in the U.S., the Lumia 900, did not sell well at all, according to most reports. If Nokia's new flagship phone, the Lumia 920, is a dud too, it sounds like Microsoft will take matters into its own hands.
Although both HTC and Nokia announced their Windows Phone 8 hardware in September, neither company has revealed exact pricing or launch date details. We've seen reports that both phones could launch November 9 on AT&T, but there's still a lot of red tape to clear up between the carrier, Microsoft, and hardware manufacturers.
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