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The software giant was rumoured to have paid Seinfeld $10m to star in its Windows marketing blitz alongside chairman Bill Gates, in which the pair play a comedy odd couple.

However, a report on Valleywag claims Microsoft is briefing journalists that the American comedian is to be dropped from the Windows campaign.

A representative

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from Microsoft's PR agency, Waggener Edstrom, told the site that there is the "potential to do other things" with Seinfeld, but admitted that "people would have been happier if everyone loved the ads, but this was not unexpected."

Microsoft is reportedly briefing journalists that the company had always planned to drop Seinfeld, although the company's UK representatives told PC Pro earlier this month that the Gates/Seinfeld ads were merely the beginning of a long-running campaign.

"It's an interesting discussion we're going to kick off," said John Curran director of the Windows Client Group at Microsoft UK.

When asked to comment on Seinfeld's future, Microsoft told PC Pro to: "Think of this first set of ads, featuring Bill and Jerry Seinfeld, as an icebreaker to re-introduce Microsoft to viewers in a consumer context.

"As the campaign evolves into its next phase, you'll see us go deeper in telling the Windows story and letting people know what it can do for them at work, at play, and on the go."