Samsung's next Galaxy Tab could dual boot Android and Windows RT

Samsung's next-gen Galaxy Tab could dual boot both Android and Microsoft's ailing Windows RT operating system, according to a report.

Microsoft is behind the move, allegedly asking both Samsung and Chinese manufacturer Huawei to consider loading the mobile-optimised version of Windows onto tablets and smartphones that have traditionally run Android. Windows RT is struggling for market share against Google and Apple's alternatives, with heavyweight Dell recently abandoning it due to poor sales.

Samsung has apparently already created a dual-booting version of its upcoming 2014 Galaxy Tab, based around a 12-inch tablet with a very high-resolution display. According to the report, users say the dual operating system concept works well in practice on the device, which is roughly the size of an A4 sheet of paper and is very thin.

The Samsung news comes quickly after rumours that Microsoft is trying to win HTC back to Windows Phone, reducing or waiving licensing fees for the software to make it more attractive to the Taiwanese manufacturer.

HTC has no plans to sell future Windows Phone handsets beyond the existing HTC Windows Phone 8X and 8S, according to the Bloomberg rumours, and Microsoft's move is intended to counter that.

HTC was the first company to release a 4G-capable Windows Phone handset in Australia, the Titan 4G. It was also responsible for the the first Android phone, the G1, which was released in Australia in early 2009 as the HTC Dream.

Microsoft already has a dual-booting device in the upcoming Asus Transformer Book Trio, a tablet-laptop hybrid. The Transformer Book Trio runs Android on an Intel Atom processor housed in its display, but can also run a fully capable version of Windows 8 through the Intel Core processor and traditional laptop components hidden in its detachable keyboard.