Microsoft And AMD Announce “Pay-As-You-Go” Pc Program To Drive Personal Computing In Emerging Markets

Microsoft And AMD Announce “Pay-As-You-Go” Pc Program To Drive Personal Computing In Emerging Markets

AMD (NYSE: AMD) and Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) today announced an agreement to jointly support flexible business models for emerging markets powered by Microsoft® FlexGo™ technology. The initiative reflects both companies’ efforts to bring affordable access to technology to consumers around the world. At the 2006 Microsoft Windows® Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) in Seattle, the companies stated their commitment to support the initiative through a pilot program that provides consumers the opportunity to purchase PCs through a combination of innovative technology and a pay-as-you-go computing model. Through the joint development that is underway between AMD and Microsoft, Microsoft’s FlexGo technology will also be incorporated within key AMD microprocessor products.

“AMD’s joint effort with Microsoft on pay-as-you-go computing will help us reach our shared customers with technology they want in ways they can afford,” said Will Poole, senior vice president of Microsoft’s Market Expansion Group. “We are pleased to embark on this new initiative together, utilizing AMD’s deep knowledge of emerging markets to expand our trials to China, India and beyond.”

Today’s announcement with Microsoft represents a key strategic component of AMD’s 50×15 Initiative, which seeks to apply new and sustainable business models to help narrow the global digital divide. Through AMD’s 50×15 Initiative, the company and its partners are building sustainable ecosystems that incorporate the full range of hardware, software, infrastructure, micro-financing, and entrepreneurial experience necessary to provide affordable, relevant technology to people in high-growth markets.

“We’ve seen in our 50×15 Initiative learning labs around the world that consumers benefit most when companies develop flexible business models tailored specifically to meet the unique needs of people living in high-growth markets,” said Dr. William T. “Billy” Edwards, AMD’s chief innovation officer and senior vice president. Dr. Edwards is responsible for a diverse set of forward-looking efforts at AMD, including establishing a new set of businesses known as Innovative Systems, which focus on creating new solutions that will help expand AMD’s ability to reach and serve greater portions of the global community.

Read the complete Press Release