Ballmer - Told you so...

I am completely missing the authors point here. Android isn't free? Android is free to use for device manufacturers. Google bought a device manufacturer and their patents. The quote makes me want to say "devices aren't free either!"

The point Ballmer was originally making (and I believe HTC's CEO confirmed) is that the cost of getting a Windows Phone to market was less than the cost of getting an Android phone to market because of the toolset that Microsoft provides which results in lower integration and testing costs.