14 DAY TRIAL // Today, Microsoft signed a new memorandum of understanding with LG to collaborate on the Internet of Things business and launch new products using services owned by the Redmond-based tech giant.
While no specifics have been provided, it’s a well-known fact that Microsoft is trying to expand into the Internet of Things industry, and LG will thus become part of this new trend with the help of the agreement it signed with the software giant.
LG also confirmed at that year’s Las Vegas CEBit show that it would present some new products based on Microsoft’s services, but refused to provide more information.
"LG Electronics signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with MS over IoT-related businesses. LG Electronics will closely cooperate with MS to find next businesses," LG said in a statement today.
Microsoft also fancies a collaboration
Even though it’s pretty clear that LG is the big winner of this new agreement, Microsoft is also winning following the deal because the South Korean company could help it advance in the IoT industry faster.
LG is currently one of the biggest consumer electronics manufacturers in the world, and Microsoft could really benefit from the large number of products its new partner makes.
The resulting products, based on Microsoft services, could appeal to both consumers and enterprises, and that’s exactly what the software giant is aiming with the new partnership.
"Top management at both firms exchanged views over strategies and discussed how to further strengthen partnership in businesses that the two companies are mutually interested in," LG Electronics Chief Technology Officer Ahn Seung-kwon said.
LG not yet a Windows Phone 8 partner
Earlier this year, sources close to the matter indicated that LG could launch its very own smartphone powered by Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8.1 operating system, but since then no further news on this project has reached the web.
It’s not yet clear whether LG halted development of this project or not, but following this new agreement, there’s no doubt that the South Korean company could restart work on a Windows Phone 8.1 device as well.
LG already has a couple of phones powered by Windows Phone 7, but the company is yet to release a device running Microsoft’s latest smartphone operating system. This could obviously change very soon, but it’s going to be interesting to see whether the South Koreans are planning to wait until Windows Phone 9 and launch a device with WP8 in the coming months.