An upcoming smartphone manufacturer from India named Obi Mobiles, backed by former Apple CEO, John Sculley, has revealed plans to launch Windows Phone based devices in the near future.

Obi Mobiles, which is owned by John Sculley's Inflexionpoint, is set to enter the Indian smartphone market in June and will be launching entry level Android based smartphones in the price range of Rs. 5000 and 8000 (USD 85-135) initially. The company has already set up infrastructure worth $20 million, and boasts a team of 50 members who have worked with companies such as HTC and Micromax.

In a report published by The Economic Times, Obi Mobiles' CEO, Ajay Sharma has revealed that they are aiming to gain a 2% share in the Indian smartphone market by the end of FY 2015. Although the company's main focus will be the sub-$200 market, they will launch some devices in the upper bracket as well. Sharma also expressed plans to launch a Windows (Phone) based smartphone in the next quarter. As India is gearing for broader 4G deployment, Obi Mobiles would be launching cheap 4G handsets by the last quarter of 2014.

Microsoft announced nine new OEM partners for Windows Phone at the Mobile World Congress, and the list has increased in the following months. The total number of partners currently stands at 17, and the tally will continue to increase if companies such as Obi Mobiles manage to secure partnerships with Microsoft.

Source: Economic Times