1) because people don't want to plug their phones into a dock, they want their phone AND their desktop.
2) pen. stylus. maybe in 2002. not in 2015.
3) you've missed my point about software. microsoft needs to be making software (APPS) for android and iphone. awesome apps. apps that other companies without the 20+ years of software development that microsoft has, can't do. windows 10 is not the end all answer. it's a pacifier on a timeline, another "wait and see in six months". it will not change the current mobile phone market share.
4) they WILL buy apps though. this is the only place microsoft can gain mindshare in mobile right now. NOT hardware. the hardware race was over years ago. the time to start on SOFTWARE for those devices was two years ago, but microsoft didn't recognize the shift.
5) "wait and see what ______ does !" marketing campaign ?
6) see 5. 'wait and see' is not going to improve a marketshare, a mindshare, or a profit margin.
7) again, the HARDWARE race is dead. microsoft could release an octa core 16Gb ram device with a 20 day battery life today... and it would not put a dent in the current mobile marketshare. people have their phones. they have their apps. they have it already, and aren't changing for a shrunken desktop in their pocket. the backlash from windows 8 and it's emphasis on change for the sake of change (the UI) should be enough proof.
8) i doubt that. microsoft is known for making sweetheart deals to put their software ahead of the competitions. this deal happened because blackberry had a better product, and nothing to do with the pricetag. use ford sync. read the forums of other people's gripes with microsoft's UI package for ford. simple changes were not addressed, and it was slooooow. blackberry is known for light overhead, and better UI design. they won the contest because of a better interface.
or, just look at what Tesla has done with car touchscreens. that's a first gen UI. microsoft can't best a startup car company (tesla) even on it's first gen software push ? this is telling. microsoft should have been scrambling to put their software in that car's dash, and fords, and chevys, and the 'flash' brands you mentioned earlier. tomorrows lexus should have a full dash UI that microsoft designed and implemented.
but it won't. microsoft will be saying "give us six more months"
1 - Option to the user.
2 - Check '1.'
3 - Although I agree MS should work harder into get the missing apps and get those already in the Store to have better quality. That is more into developer's hands.
4 - They will buy productivity apps, business don't care about FB, Twitter, Snapchap.... and MS has the best productivity apps.
5 & 6 - All three.
7 - Hardware is dead? Really? Just ask, Samsung, LG, Apple and so on... , why are they investing in new hardware? Hardware is essential in the mobile war. That is one of the reasons SP3 is doing good.
8 - Yes BlackBerry has good product but prices has lots to do with it. The deal save lot of money to Ford. Using QNX will be less expensive than licensing Microsoft technology
And I got a fix for your pain.... There is always a way out. :winktongue: