Windows 10 more important to Phone than Desktop or Tablet
Those who are going to leave Windows for MacOS or iOS are going to do so. Microsoft needs to change its image to change that, and a new OS isn't likely to stem the tide. At least, not on its own.
Where Microsoft is hurting, even amongst its own fan base of late is Windows Phone. Many see Microsoft focusing even their own products on other ecosystems first. And this caused even the WP loyalists to leave or consider leaving.
There may be a reason for this though. And that reason may in fact be Windows 10. They may be hesitant to build out a quality experience on Windows Phone if the underlying platform is about to change drastically. That makes sense I guess.
Frankly, the company is moving too slowly in my opinion for that to fly though. But time will prove out the strategy or not. Basically, with Windows 10 now being pushed into fall of 2015, it would mean that these apps being developed for iOS and Android will have had over a year of supremacy over their Windows Phone counterparts... assuming MS even built a WP version in the first place.
Were it a couple weeks or a couple months of pain, that might be livable. Especially if Microsoft were open about their plans. But they really aren't. Also, the timeline is largely artificial. Even if Windows 10 is actually released in fall of 2015, that doesn't mean it will be ready for your phone at that time. There are actually 2 problems here, we don't even know what that fall 2015 timeline includes. The mobile version is a different SKU and could be released later. Also, SKU availability doesn't mean end-user availability. The plight of non-iOS phone owners everywhere. You're held at the mercy of when your carrier tests and approves the release.
It is early at this stage, but I could easily see Windows 10 Mobile being delayed until winter 2015 or even Q1 2016 with broad availability by carrier not being seen until mid-2016.
Right now at Mircosoft, Services > Windows > Phone.
It isn't a terrible strategy for Microsoft. There is no guarantee that they will ever succeed on phone, and profit from the OS group shrinks every year. But Azure and Office365 become more profitable on a daily basis. And, part of keeping them profitable means making them accessible to all platforms, but the most importantly the largest ones first. I would be unsurprised to find that the reason the Win10 release slipped already is to re-assign resources to one or more services in one form or another.
And then, Windows is obviously still a much bigger thing for the company than Windows Phone is.
I would wager Microsoft's foray into phones will either get a second life, or die as a result of Windows 10. If it helps the platform, it might just see some love. If it fails to revive it, it will likely go the way of WinRT,
For now, I'm still happy on Windows Phone. I'll never like iOS unless it changes drastically, and while there are aspects of Android I certainly like, there are just as many I hate.
Where Microsoft is hurting, even amongst its own fan base of late is Windows Phone. Many see Microsoft focusing even their own products on other ecosystems first. And this caused even the WP loyalists to leave or consider leaving.
There may be a reason for this though. And that reason may in fact be Windows 10. They may be hesitant to build out a quality experience on Windows Phone if the underlying platform is about to change drastically. That makes sense I guess.
Frankly, the company is moving too slowly in my opinion for that to fly though. But time will prove out the strategy or not. Basically, with Windows 10 now being pushed into fall of 2015, it would mean that these apps being developed for iOS and Android will have had over a year of supremacy over their Windows Phone counterparts... assuming MS even built a WP version in the first place.
Were it a couple weeks or a couple months of pain, that might be livable. Especially if Microsoft were open about their plans. But they really aren't. Also, the timeline is largely artificial. Even if Windows 10 is actually released in fall of 2015, that doesn't mean it will be ready for your phone at that time. There are actually 2 problems here, we don't even know what that fall 2015 timeline includes. The mobile version is a different SKU and could be released later. Also, SKU availability doesn't mean end-user availability. The plight of non-iOS phone owners everywhere. You're held at the mercy of when your carrier tests and approves the release.
It is early at this stage, but I could easily see Windows 10 Mobile being delayed until winter 2015 or even Q1 2016 with broad availability by carrier not being seen until mid-2016.
Right now at Mircosoft, Services > Windows > Phone.
It isn't a terrible strategy for Microsoft. There is no guarantee that they will ever succeed on phone, and profit from the OS group shrinks every year. But Azure and Office365 become more profitable on a daily basis. And, part of keeping them profitable means making them accessible to all platforms, but the most importantly the largest ones first. I would be unsurprised to find that the reason the Win10 release slipped already is to re-assign resources to one or more services in one form or another.
And then, Windows is obviously still a much bigger thing for the company than Windows Phone is.
I would wager Microsoft's foray into phones will either get a second life, or die as a result of Windows 10. If it helps the platform, it might just see some love. If it fails to revive it, it will likely go the way of WinRT,
For now, I'm still happy on Windows Phone. I'll never like iOS unless it changes drastically, and while there are aspects of Android I certainly like, there are just as many I hate.
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