Microsoft makes money by forcing the competing manufacturers to buy Windows. So far, it's actually worked; all of the Steam Deck competitors I've seen to date s

Microsoft makes money by forcing the competing manufacturers to buy Windows. So far, it's actually worked; all of the Steam Deck competitors I've seen to date ship with a copy of Windows presumably paid-for by the OEM. Introducing their own competitor would require them to invest deeply in doing so, and then subsidize their moneymaker (Windows) to compete at Valve's price point. It stands to reason that Microsoft would rather pocket AYANEO and Asus's OS fees and not even bother.