Samsung is reportedly considering building new Windows Phone handsets this year.
As Digital Spy reports citing the Korea Times, the company has started testing the operating system on devices as part of a pilot programme.
The Galaxy smartphone maker has been looking for an opportunity to break its reliance on Google's Android for some time. Its own Tizen platform – developed jointly with Intel – has also struggled to gain much support.
However, development of any Windows Phone by Samsung is off the cards until a patent fee dispute with Microsoft is settled.
Back in August, it emerged that the computing giant was taking legal action against Samsung, after claiming that it failed to pay for the use of its licenses on time.
The South Korean tech giant is accused of using Microsoft's acquisition of Nokia's devices and services business as "an excuse to breach its contract".
A source claims that if the companies are able to settle terms, new Windows Phone-powered smartphones from Samsung could be released as soon as autumn, meaning Microsoft's new Windows 10 mobile operating system could be on board.
