Microsoft: Late to Smartphone bus or botched strategy?

Windows Mobile 2003, was released in 2003 as the first mobile OS from Microsoft. And its 2016, with windows 10 mobile as an OS; one core OS for all devices, and where is MS in smartphone business, less than 1% share in world and Nokia acquisition as a clear loss, with clear strategy not to focus on Smartphone business at least in consumer side of operation.

When most of the companies are looking at consumer device as a strategy for BYOD and Android & iOS as a worthy OS in consumer segment, what exactly MS did wrong?

Evolution of Windows 7 mobile to Windows 10 has been great from Microsoft. It a great OS to support smartphone but were they late to start in Smartphone Segment with windows 7 mobile OS in 2010, when both iOS and Android were ruling the roast. It did not help MS that it went from shelving the OS for win 8 based mobile OS. They left many users in the dark as they could not upgrade to windows 8 and 8.1 subsequently in mobile OS. This was huge dent both in consumer mind and its hardware partner (LG never released any smartphone with windows on it after this fiasco). Nokia was always there as a partner but it was losing the market share as OS had its limitation. MS had failed to generate enough buzz in the market.

But then came a great move, acquired Nokia division to have hardware and OS as integrated part, to give a consumer a compelling device. They did try but app ecosystem, was not there (majority were there but not updated frequently or not supported). They failed to get developers and consumers on board.

With windows 10 mobile OS, came a last push to provide developers a chance to develop app for one device and run on all platforms, be it desktop, laptop, tablets, phones or IoT, they called it universal app platform. This was promising and MS was also doing their work for developers to make life easy for them. They had developed applications to make iOS app porting to windows an easy way. A unified platform was their dream, Satya’s strategy of “Mobile first and cloud first” seemed more relevant. But it did not materialize, don’t get me wrong, I have been using windows mobile since start and it a huge potential. A great OS with a great team to support and integrate features, their feedback hub is a great example of it.

I am a windows insider since the beginning and they have come a long way. Today, OS is mature and stable with great features. An OS that would make a compelling argument to be greatest among the three (iOS, Android). But they have withdrawn from customer space, was it their mistake or were they just too late to the system. I would argue for one that they have botched marketing campaigns for the device. An Android OEM has a better visibility then MS, Apple is too ahead in marketing, with each iteration iPhone claimed to be best than the previous version and self-acclaimed innovation (although I have never understood the fuss behind it), debate on iPhone for later. Android is great but so much fragmented hardware partners, it’s difficult to distinguish between any two devices that they have the same OS. Google policy is very clear to sell consumer data for marketing (their bread and butter), still I have no doubt in mind that they have a long way is mobile OS from poor man’s iPhone to being the leader in this segment.

There is quite the sameness in Android and iOS with former having more customization and later being the same arrogant OS, but windows is right at the centre a beautiful approach to tile based automated information approach and is unique considering all three. Maybe MS is developing something unique, a next wave beyond smartphone (not their continuum feature), a mobile that can be something greater than a smartphone of today. Today’s MS is innovating company and their surface line has set up a benchmark amongst different product categories.

I hope MS does not lose its relevance in consumer space, although other partners are supporting windows 10 mobile (Alcatel, HP, etc.). I believe they truly will be a leader in mobile space or whatever the next define category will be called.