According to a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report, citing reliable unidentified sources, Microsoft has, since "late February," been giving substantial discounts for Windows 8 to its OEM partners who manufacturer touchscreen-enabled devices.

The WSJ report said that, as per its anonymous sources, Microsoft has discounted its $120-priced copy of Windows 8 to its OEM partners to as much as $30 - marking a highly notable 75 percent discount - till the time the price reduction continues to be in effect.

Moreover, the WSJ sources have also revealed that the discount offer that Microsoft is giving to its OEM partners is the same for the desktop and RT versions of the company's Windows 8 and Office software.

The sources also disclosed that Microsoft started offering Windows 8 discounts to its OEM partners towards the end of last month. The price markdown is for devices which feature touch-sensitive displays, especially those which measure 10.8 inches or less. For the devices - which chiefly comprise tablets and convertibles -, the $30 price-tag includes Windows 8 as well as Microsoft Office.

Despite the fact that a Microsoft spokesman has refused to comment on the WSJ report, he did say that Microsoft persistently aims to "work with partners to ensure that Windows is available across a diverse range of devices."