The $2 billion (€1.4 billion) loan for Dell may affect Microsoft’s relationship with HP

Feb 6, 2013 07:55 GMT  ·  By
Microsoft was reportedly disappointed with HP choosing Palm for a smartphone
   Microsoft was reportedly disappointed with HP choosing Palm for a smartphone

Microsoft has decided to support the Dell buyout with a $2 billion (€1.4 billion) loan, but the company’s involvement in the process is raising concerns among the other hardware manufacturers in the business.

Citing sources familiar with the matter, the New York Post writes that Microsoft’s deal with Dell comes because the collaboration between the Redmond-based software giant and HP is falling apart.

HP is currently one of the most important Dell rivals in the United States, with the company moving beyond the Windows environment and embracing the Android operating system and the Chromebook concept.

According to the same insiders, it all started in 2010 when HP decided to buy Palm instead of partnering with Microsoft for a smartphone concept, a move that upset the Redmondians.

“We should have knocked on Microsoft’s door,” the source said, hinting that Microsoft would have been a much better choice for the future.