Msmobiles.com is apparently dead. It was an interesting place in which to learn about customers' gripes, not just Microsoft's utterly bad mobile products (back when the flag to be carried was "Windows Mobile"). "Interesting article[s] to read and site," said our reader Girts to us.
“Yes, Windows Mobile is dead until it will be open source then it will have maybe bright future.”
--GirtsLast night we shared some links about mobile market share estimations. Linux seems like the long-term victor and bar software patents it's unstoppable. Referring to US market on the face of it, comScore reported good growth for Linux. Microsoft Nick reported on that and comScore is paid by Microsoft [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10] (comScore is usually showing opposites of what everyone else is showing, so maybe it sells bias to Microsoft). This helps show that even sources that are biased in favour of Microsoft could not help reporting a sharp decline in Windows market share in mobile.
"Nearly Ninth Inning For Microsoft Smartphone Effort" says an article whose language is explained as follows: "Pardon the baseball metaphor but it seemed appropriate: the impending debut of Windows Phones (Windows Mobile 7) is a very high stakes moment for Microsoft, especially in the wake of Kin’s recent failure. [...] The fate of Windows Phones and Bing’s future are not necessarily inextricably linked. Bing has diversified beyond Windows Mobile and can succeed potentially even if Windows Phones fail. But it needs to succeed on its own merits rather than count on default search deals like the one with Verizon (which has seen some user backlash)."
“Linux seems like the long-term victor and bar software patents it’s unstoppable.”Samsung and others are reluctant to experiment with the poor phone platforms which Microsoft produces, especially after "KIN" [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. Some Microsoft partners got severely burned by "KIN", so unless (just perhaps) Microsoft pays them to do so, few companies will even bother with Vista Phone 7 [sic]. "Verizon Wireless Will Take Its Time To Sell Windows Phone 7" says this headline.
Maybe Verizon Wireless still has a sour taste left its mouth when Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) abruptly shutdown the teenage-focused KIN project less than two months after Verizon started selling it? Maybe not. But whatever is the case, the largest U.S. carrier said it will wait until next year to start selling phones based on Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7, reports Bloomberg.
“Microsoft has gotten very desperate and it's nowhere near competitive enough to fairly compete in the mobile space.”Also see "Verizon will not sell Windows Phone 7 devices until 2011" and "First generation Windows Phone 7s won't be on Verizon or Sprint".
The Microsoft boosters cheer Microsoft's scheme of paying to exclude rivals at Verizon (background in [1, 2, 3]), whereas others are more critical ("Fascinate Fiasco: Is Verizon Blocking Google Search?").
They just can't compete, so instead they try to tax Linux-powered phones. "Microsoft Must Make Its Own Phone If Wants To Make Money," says Business Insider, but Microsoft tried it with "KIN" and it won't be doing that again. See "Microsoft Isn't Planning On Making Any More Cellphones" and "Microsoft Has No Plans for Design Another Smartphone - Executive." It just won't happen, unless Microsoft is lying yet again.
“An alternative route Microsoft seems to be exploring is entry through acquisition and/or entryism (the cheaper way).”An alternative route Microsoft seems to be exploring is entry through acquisition and/or entryism (the cheaper way). Recall Yahoo! hijack through entryism and see the news about "Microsoft Windows Phone 7 exec leaves for Yahoo" (also covered in [1, 2]). The original report ("Another Former Microsoft Exec to Yahoo, Joining Other Ex-Softies") says: "He is now SVP of Yahoo’s communications products and communities unit." Many of his 'new' Yahoo colleagues are former colleagues from Microsoft, who helped take over Yahoo! so that it doesn't need to be acquired in order to be exploited.
“This potential Nokia invasion would require Elop to surround himself with former colleagues from Microsoft (like Maritz in VMware) or sign some new Microsoft deals.”Speaking of entryism, here is the type of articles we alluded to some days ago; it's titled "Will Microsoft And Nokia Team Up To Take On Apple, Google?" (source: TechCrunch).
This potential Nokia invasion would require Elop to surround himself with former colleagues from Microsoft (like Maritz in VMware) or sign some new Microsoft deals. Nokia soared when the appointment was announced. There are also some suggestions (still) that Microsoft should by RIM. One columnist asked, "Will Steve Ballmer Buy RIM Now Just To Destroy Nokia?"
One financial news site asked, "Should Microsoft buy RIMM?" Another one asked, "How Would You Feel If Microsoft Buys RIM?"
“Microsoft just cannot buy Apple and Google.”Microsoft may need to borrow more money to just duplicate and saturate what it already has (shades of Danger) and have more proprietary software whose market is stagnating due to lack of technical edge anyway. Microsoft just cannot buy Apple and Google. Microsoft was asleep behind the wheel for far too long and investors who pushed for the ousting of Ballmer were mentioning RIM takeover almost 2 years ago (when Microsoft was in less of a desperate state).
RIM has just bought DataViz [1, 2, 3], which significantly reduced chances of RIM planning to be acquired. The question is, will RIM's ownership of DataViz impact support/availability on other platforms? "DataViz Keeps Documents To Go Updates Coming" says IDG. Oddly enough, one article says "RIM Buys Another Company -- This Time To Defend Itself Against Microsoft"
“Joe Wilcox, a former Microsoft watcher, says that IDC and Gartner mobile OS forecasts may not be trustworthy...”Microsoft is hardly its main competition in phones, just in office suites. The thing about Microsoft in mobile is that it is almost irrelevant everywhere in mobile devices (tablets too), it just roars a lot and organises a funeral for BlackBerry rather than for itself.
Going back to Nokia again, the Microsoft boosters have an audiocast about this subject which we covered too much already. Microsoft executive Stephen Elop jumping to Nokia is something which we mentioned in the previous post and well before that. Joe Wilcox, a former Microsoft watcher, says that IDC and Gartner mobile OS forecasts may not be trustworthy (check their clients list because IDC and Gartner have questionable practices). Scepticism withstanding, one writer is saying or rather just asking, "Can Android Be Stopped in the World of Smartphones?" He is confused by IDC and IDG (see cross/strikeout), but they are inherently the same, one is a subset. "Microsoft Faces an Uncertain Future in Search, Mobile OS and Cloud Computing (MSFT)" says another new article and even firms that Microsoft is paying cannot spin in Microsoft's favour anymore (neither regarding present nor future). Microsoft boosters just admit that "Research firm has low expectations for Windows Phone 7" (this is Microsoft Nick's headline).
“Way to spend half a billion dollars marketing a technically bad product!”"Microsoft Struggles to Gain in Mobile Search" says the headline from Murdoch's press and the advertisements (brainwash) for Microsoft's mobile business get negative reactions/reviews. Way to spend half a billion dollars marketing a technically bad product!
"Yes, Windows Phone 7 is doomed" says the headline from TG Daily, a site which is usually in favour of Microsoft's interests. "Because I’m not sure if there is anyone I know who would seriously consider purchasing a Windows-powered phone," wrote the author. "Seriously, folks, how many people do you see running around proudly flashing their Zunes? "Um, yeah.ââ¬Â¨Ã¢â¬Â¨" Probably not that many, right?"
“Delays and setbacks are already hitting Vista Phone 7 and it is not helping that Microsoft has been ‘rebooting’ everything, including backward compatibility.”Delays and setbacks are already hitting Vista Phone 7 [1, 2] and it is not helping that Microsoft has been 'rebooting' everything, including backward compatibility. "The Windows Phone 7 gives a fresh start to Microsoft," says this article. Does that make Microsoft a startup contender? Again, this is suicidal and a lot of marketing is the only impact Vista Phone 7 will have. Expect a lot of marketing (as much as Vista 7 marketing, budget-wise). Just how many gullible souls can Microsoft lure into Kin2K? Frankly, in order to save money, Microsoft ought to just cancel this whole product before launch. It does not need to be launched just for the sake of it. Learn from Courier, Microsoft, and spare the money.
Just don't expect any pornography to attract users to Vista Phone 7. Microsoft is barring that too, just like Apple and unlike Android/Linux/Google. Given that Microsoft starts from 0% market share, is it not too risky and premature to place restrictions on developers? This is gonna be atrocious; both journalists and analysts feel that way too (not necessarily Microsoft PR people or bribed journalists/analysts in this $500,000,000 marketing frenzy). ⬆