Summary: Windows Mobile loses mind share not just inside Microsoft but also outside Microsoft, which leaves it in somewhat of a downward spiral

IN last week's complaints about Windows Mobile it was made rather clear that Windows Mobile should expect no rebound. It is going down quite consistently and with its declining market share it also loses developers who were once willing to code for it.

Zack Urlocker says that Windows Mobile is losing developers indeed:

Microsoft is at risk of falling into last place in mobile phones if it doesn't do something about it. So what's the one strength Microsoft can bring to the table? Developers, developers, developers. They're one of the factors that has made Microsoft a success on desktops, and it might well play in the mobile space.

It's easy to see why they flee.

Ban the beer: Microsoft gets an attack of the 'app morals'

[...]

Microsoft mobile developer marketing director for the Asia Pacific region, Chris Chin, says his company's policy whilst not necessarily family friendly, it is at least “acceptable to the public”.

Microsoft does not value developers' freedom and Apple is the same. We recently wrote about this in:

• Boycotts Against Apple and Microsoft, Class Action Likely Coming
• Developers Betrayed by Apple Are Uniting, Microsoft EULA Repels
• Apple Likely to Lose Developers, Microsoft Wants Free Software Developers (for Windows)
• Apple and Microsoft Attack Their Developers and Users (Again)

The Microsoft blog at Information Week writes about "The Sad Decline of Windows Mobile"

Microsoft has been plugging away at the mobile computing market for almost as long as Windows has been around. I'm thinking of products like Windows for Pen Computing, or the original Windows CE for handheld devices. At best, you could say that the consumers were willing but the platforms were weak.

Over at eWEEK, Windows Mobile is listed as a top Microsoft failure in 2009:

News Analysis: Microsoft has had an up and down kind of year. The company released Windows 7, but it also was forced to lay off 5,000 employees. While it introduced new security products, it's still fighting an uphill battle against security vulnerabilities. It jump-started its online efforts, but failed to improve Windows Mobile. We take a look at those things the company did wrong in 2009.

There is more to be said about the above. Vista 7 failed to reignite the Windows franchise (Windows revenue down 40% in the last quarter), introduction of security products is more indicative of misery or defeat (stomping on security partners), and Microsoft has achieved nothing substantial online, despite colossal investments. ⬆