Microsoft Makes $15 Per Windows XP Netbook

Earlier this month, Brandon LeBlanc, department in charge of Windows Communications, announced that 96% of netBook marketed in the United States were distributed with Windows. Those words did not fail to raise controversy, especially when Chris Kenyon, Group Canonical OEM Services at, accused the firm of Redmond of media brainwashing.

This weekend, the Washington Post revealed some information about the distribution of Windows with OEM distributors. For the Redmond company is to maintain the profitability of the Windows market while standing on the sector NETBOOK. Thus, to counteract the threat of Linux distributions, Microsoft had to break its sales price for Windows XP.

According to some estimates, the XP license would be sold around 50 or 60 dollars, a figure that the Washington Post questioned after interviewing a source close to Microsoft's business. "According to them, once the promotional deducted, the company would require less than 15 dollars per NETBOOK for Windows XP," said the daily. Electronista magazine stresses that the sale price is twice cheaper than licensing Windows Starter Edition sold in developing countries.

The NETBOOK remains a real challenge for Microsoft weight. According to the estimates of firm Gartner, it should sell 21 million machines in the year, an increase of 80%. Paradoxically, the global PC market would decline by 11.9%.