Re: A question (dumb maybe)
> Is there any practical reason why Microsoft can't do a deal with all of the major phone suppliers to allow Win10 to be installed as an alternative to Android?
Yes. Each model of phone is unique in having one of a large variety of SoCs complemented by different system components such as screens, audio, buttons, etc. This is not a problem for Android because the source code is available and the integrator can modify as required to suit.
Windows Phone is built by Microsoft to suit a limited set of SoCs with a particular set of other components. This has always restricted manufacturers in how they can build Windows Phones. In some cases Microsoft has dictated to OEMs which SoC maker they are allowed to use. Because MS has been slow to incorporate newer components into their OS it has often meant that WP models are half a generation behind Androids.
For example WP7 could only work with about 5 particular single-core SoCs. WP8 only supported half a dozen dual-core SoCs. WP8 would not even run on WP7 hardware let alone contemporary Android devices. The only way to get W10M onto Android phones is to start by building a phone that actually works with W10M and then putting Android on it, but that would limit what the phone can be.
You can upgrade your S3 to Cyanogenmod https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2o_LEc04RY
Biting the hand that feeds IT
