Can Microsoft Ever Recover? Windows 8, Windows Phone, Xbox One, Surface, etc.

[PiggyMiddle]

I have now pretty much given up on msoft after the Surface 3 release. I had been putting off buying a win8.1 tablet in the hopes they would release a msoft version. But they seem focused on big business with the *base* start-price of the S3 at $985 with included keyboard. Hell, I have an Acer 10.6", non-touch, i5, 6GB, 500GB laptop I paid $385 for running win8.1.

Time to look again at the Lenovo/Dell,ASUS/Acer 8" offerings as msoft don't seem to be interested in the poor folk.

 

[dclaryjr]

I think if you were to use one word to describe Microsoft recently it would be "Late"

They were Late to the mobile phone market - although rather bizarrely they were actually early to smartphones with Windows Mobile, but then managed to destroy that market share by scrapping the original windows mobile 6 in favor of Windows Mobile 7,

I'm glad someone acknowledges that Apple didn't invent smartphones! I had a T-Mobile MDA and the Wing before I got the G-1. I'm heading back to Windows after six years of Android.



Dave Clary/Corpus Christi, TX

 

[A895]

I have now pretty much given up on msoft after the Surface 3 release. I had been putting off buying a win8.1 tablet in the hopes they would release a msoft version. But they seem focused on big business with the *base* start-price of the S3 at $985 with included keyboard. Hell, I have an Acer 10.6", non-touch, i5, 6GB, 500GB laptop I paid $385 for running win8.1.

Time to look again at the Lenovo/Dell,ASUS/Acer 8" offerings as msoft don't seem to be interested in the poor folk.

I feel your pain.

Posted via Windows Phone Central App

 

[fatclue_98]

I have now pretty much given up on msoft after the Surface 3 release. I had been putting off buying a win8.1 tablet in the hopes they would release a msoft version. But they seem focused on big business with the *base* start-price of the S3 at $985 with included keyboard. Hell, I have an Acer 10.6", non-touch, i5, 6GB, 500GB laptop I paid $385 for running win8.1.

Time to look again at the Lenovo/Dell,ASUS/Acer 8" offerings as msoft don't seem to be interested in the poor folk.

My only beef with the 8" Pro devices is that in desktop mode, anything near the corners is very difficult to touch. Desktop mode is still best left to a mouse or trackpad - or even a stylus.

 

[engineermoore]

It's not backpedaling, it's more like caving in. Overhauls such as W8 usually require some kind of learning curve. Imagine the owner of a '65 Mustang going to a Ford dealer and asking the service manager where the points and condensor are in his 2014 Mustang. I'm sorry but people are getting too fat and lazy to figure out how things work. The popular joke in the 80's was about guys who didn't know how to set the clock on their VCR. These are probably the same idiots clamoring for the start button.

I really don't see what the issue is. I use windows 8 pretty much the same way I used windows 7. I press the start key on my keyboard, type what I am looking for and press return and new search is a lot better than the windows 7 start menu (I even discovered it has OCR!!)

 

[tgp]

I really don't see what the issue is. I use windows 8 pretty much the same way I used windows 7. I press the start key on my keyboard, type what I am looking for and press return and new search is a lot better than the windows 7 start menu (I even discovered it has OCR!!)

I also use Windows 8 roughly the save as Windows 7. There's still one thing I don't like about the Start screen though; what if I don't recall the name of what I'm looking for? The collapsed menu in the Start menu on Windows 7 made it a lot easier to find. Normally I recognize it when I see it, but in the Start screen there are hundreds of small tiles that must basically be read individually.

 

[jordanzhninja]

Maybe.

They can recover because:
- Windows 9 is on the way, and Microsoft must know just how much damage Windows 8 and RT have done to the PC market and their image. Hopefully Windows 9 will have the impact Windows 7 did back in 2009.
- Windows Phone 9 is on the way as well, and WP8.1 is now as good as Android and iOS. (in terms of features, but we are still 2 years behind on Apps). With the new rapid release schedule Microsoft is promising with WP, its clear that they don't want to be left behind ever again.
- The improvements to IE11 over IE10 and IE9 show just how committed Microsoft is to bringing an amazing browsing experience to Windows with IE. It was released back in October last year and is already almost surpassing IE8's market share.
- Sure Google Docs is big, and so is Gmail, but Outlook is closing the gap, and Office is not going anywhere any time soon.
- Microsoft is 2nd place in the cloud world (Amazon is 1st)
- Satya Nadella is a really, really good CEO. He seems to be making all the right moves.

However, they can't recover because:
- It's too late to save Windows. In 2009, Windows had almost no competition, and this is why Windows 7 grew so fast. Windows 9 will be in direct competition with Android, Chrome OS and other low-cost alternatives.
- Windows Phone is still behind iOS and Android, the app situation is horrible (and with no signs of improving). Android and iOS are just too powerful for Windows Phone to gain considerable momentum.
- Internet Explorer as a brand is so damaged by IE6 and how Microsoft used it to gain monopoly with Windows 95 / 98 / 2k, that it will become irrelevant. People prefer Chrome, because of its speed and simplicity, and many people say the only reason why IE is popular is because it comes preinstalled on Windows machines.
- Office is becoming irrelevant, because non-power users can do everything they need to do using Google Docs, Open Office or iWork. Office will continue to thrive for power users, but for how long?
- Even though Nadella is making all the right moves, Sinofsky and Ballmer have done too much damage to the ship.

I've tried to be as unbiased as possible in my comparison, but I really hope that Microsoft can rise to their former glory. Yes, they seem to have made nothing but wrong moves since 2012. But Windows 8.1 Update 2, Universal Apps and the Kinect-less Xbox One shows that they can learn from their mistakes. Windows Phone is growing in a lot of markets worldwide, and I know that it can succeed. Sure, WP is behind on apps, but if the platform becomes substantially better and easier to develop for than the competition, I think that the market share will grow.

Some say Microsoft is in Checkmate, but I think that with the right moves and the right products, they can take back the upper hand against the competition and return to their former glory. (with IE12)

 

[fatclue_98]

Microsoft in checkmate? From who? It certainly isn't OS X and their <5% market share or Linux with their <1% share. Please don't say ChromeOS, I get a bad case of the hiccups if I laugh too much, damn you Katt Williams!!

I take it you're a Google fan and that's cool, but ChromeOS will not be replacing Windows anytime soon. Google Docs will not replace Office.....ever. Governments, healthcare and engineering are just 3 examples of big industry that will NEVER go to Google services. Your enthusiasm is laudable but you need to see outside the mobile world.

 

[Jas00555]

Microsoft in checkmate? From who? It certainly isn't OS X and their <5% market share or Linux with their <1% share. Please don't say ChromeOS, I get a bad case of the hiccups if I laugh too much, damn you Katt Williams!!

I take it you're a Google fan and that's cool, but ChromeOS will not be replacing Windows anytime soon. Google Docs will not replace Office.....ever. Governments, healthcare and engineering are just 3 examples of big industry that will NEVER go to Google services. Your enthusiasm is laudable but you need to see outside the mobile world.

Clearly Windows is in trouble from ChromeOS because OEMs don't have to pay for it and even though it has hardly any program support, it has everything 80% of people need.

Windows Phone, on the other hand, will fail because OEMs don't have to pay for it and even though it has hardly any app support, it has everything 80% of people need, and that's clearly why it will... Wait a minute, that sounds familiar.

 

[jordanzhninja]

Microsoft in checkmate? From who? It certainly isn't OS X and their <5% market share or Linux with their <1% share. Please don't say ChromeOS, I get a bad case of the hiccups if I laugh too much, damn you Katt Williams!!

I take it you're a Google fan and that's cool, but ChromeOS will not be replacing Windows anytime soon. Google Docs will not replace Office.....ever. Governments, healthcare and engineering are just 3 examples of big industry that will NEVER go to Google services. Your enthusiasm is laudable but you need to see outside the mobile world.

You must have skipped my reasons for why they will succeed.
I tried to make the most unbiased list I could using my own knowledge.
I love MS and I want them to succeed, but it does look like they are being clawed at every angle which makes them successful.

 

[fatclue_98]

I'm going to reply to the last 2 posts with a couple of simple questions.

1. Can ChromeOS create & edit .dwg files with X-Refs? If the answer is no, they just lost the entire engineering, manufacturing, architectural, automotive & construction industries to name a few.
2. Can ChromeOS work as an embedded system? If the answer is no, it's not welcome in the healthcare industry.

I said only a couple of questions for the sake of brevity. There are countless others. Real simple, ChromeOS is a consumer-based browser that runs some menial programs. Sorry guys, Windows and OS X are the big leagues and everybody else is still in Khoury League.


Sent from my iPhone using WPCentral Forums

 

[Jas00555]

I'm going to reply to the last 2 posts with a couple of simple questions.

1. Can ChromeOS create & edit .dwg files with X-Refs? If the answer is no, they just lost the entire engineering, manufacturing, architectural, automotive & construction industries to name a few.
2. Can ChromeOS work as an embedded system? If the answer is no, it's not welcome in the healthcare industry.

I said only a couple of questions for the sake of brevity. There are countless others. Real simple, ChromeOS is a consumer-based browser that runs some menial programs. Sorry guys, Windows and OS X are the big leagues and everybody else is still in Khoury League.


Sent from my iPhone using WPCentral Forums

Haha I was agreeing with you. I was showing the hypocrisy of people who say that ChromeOS will prevail for various reasons, yet Windows Phone won't ever be big even though the exact same reasons apply.

 

[A895]

I'm going to reply to the last 2 posts with a couple of simple questions.

1. Can ChromeOS create & edit .dwg files with X-Refs? If the answer is no, they just lost the entire engineering, manufacturing, architectural, automotive & construction industries to name a few.
2. Can ChromeOS work as an embedded system? If the answer is no, it's not welcome in the healthcare industry.

I said only a couple of questions for the sake of brevity. There are countless others. Real simple, ChromeOS is a consumer-based browser that runs some menial programs. Sorry guys, Windows and OS X are the big leagues and everybody else is still in Khoury League.


Sent from my iPhone using WPCentral Forums

Nobody said ChromeOS was for those crowds. But for the millions of ordinary people, it'll do just fine.

Sent from my XT907 using Mobile Nations mobile app

 

[A895]

Haha I was agreeing with you. I was showing the hypocrisy of people who say that ChromeOS will prevail for various reasons, yet Windows Phone won't ever be big even though the exact same reasons apply.

ChromeOS at least has more support and it is desktop OS and not Mobile OS. WP is going against two giants who have he market on lock. ChromeOS is targeting casuals and people who don't need office to survive.

Sent from my XT907 using Mobile Nations mobile app

 

[Jas00555]

ChromeOS at least has more support and it is desktop OS and not Mobile OS. WP is going against two giants who have he market on lock. ChromeOS is targeting casuals and people who don't need office to survive.

Sent from my XT907 using Mobile Nations mobile app

Again, double standard.

WP going against two giants = fail

ChromeOS going up against two giants = possible success.

Windows Phone is getting picked up by people who are getting their first smart phone and don't need things like Candy Crush or Snapchat to survive. There's a lot more to Windows than just Office.

 

[A895]

Again, double standard.

WP going against two giants = fail

ChromeOS going up against two giants = possible success.

Windows Phone is getting picked up by people who are getting their first smart phone and don't need things like Candy Crush or Snapchat to survive. There's a lot more to Windows than just Office.

Then why does Office keep being brought up for strengths for WP and Windows 8? That's a double standard. As you can see with the slow growth for WP, as time goes on the market of new smartphone buyers is shrinking. What makes that even worse is that competitors devices are at the same price and performance level now too.

I don't know why the success of WP and ChromeOS have to be compared as they ate two different industries and markets. Similar but not the same conditions.

Sent from my XT907 using Mobile Nations mobile app

 

[tgp]

Again, double standard.

WP going against two giants = fail

ChromeOS going up against two giants = possible success.

I agree. I think the chances are that WP & ChromeOS will have the same success, or lack of success. But there is one difference that could make the "double standard" actually come to fruition. Windows Phone is going into a market with similar prices & operational techniques (not sure how to word that) as the competition. What I mean is that it costs as much as what it's up against, and it's not simpler to use or more reliable. Looking at the whole picture objectively, WP doesn't have any real advantages.

ChromeOS, however, is cheaper, simpler, and more reliable than Windows. True, Windows is exponentially more capable, but for most users it's like using a sledgehammer to drive in a thumbtack. Most only use a fraction of its capabilities, basically only using a PC for what a Chromebook could do.

 

[Pacus1x]

Ironically i think the main competition of the Chrome OS is not Windows... but the cheap Android tablets, the Windows OS fits better in niche and specific markets like gaming, business and other professional applications, i doubt Chrome OS could take those kind of users, because of the limitations of that OS.

And for the "normal" people? Well is much cheaper and less fuss about it buying and using a tablet than a full size laptop with the Chrome OS. The lack of the bigger HDD o SSD on those Chromebooks IMHO is one of the biggest drawbacks because the "normal" people likes to store massive amounts of music and videos. Also not many people are aware about how to use the cloud for storage, the idea itself turns off many folks.

I think some people are giving too much credit the Chrome OS, i have tinkered it a bit and i don't say it's a bad OS, not all... but the idea that Chrome OS can replace Windows is just exaggerated. The Chrome OS can be good for educational use or for thin client because is cheaper than the traditional ones, but for anything else... any tablet gets the job done for casual use and for more productive work or gaming, Windows is just better (And you can add Ubuntu or OS X)

 

[A895]

Ironically i think the main competition of the Chrome OS is not Windows... but the cheap Android tablets, the Windows OS fits better in niche and specific markets like gaming, business and other professional applications, i doubt Chrome OS could take those kind of users, because of the limitations of that OS.

And for the "normal" people? Well is much cheaper and less fuss about it buying and using a tablet than a full size laptop with the Chrome OS. The lack of the bigger HDD o SSD on those Chromebooks IMHO is one of the biggest drawbacks because the "normal" people likes to store massive amounts of music and videos. Also not many people are aware about how to use the cloud for storage, the idea itself turns off many folks.

I think some people are giving too much credit the Chrome OS, i have tinkered it a bit and i don't say it's a bad OS, not all... but the idea that Chrome OS can replace Windows is just exaggerated. The Chrome OS can be good for educational use or for thin client because is cheaper than the traditional ones, but for anything else... any tablet gets the job done for casual use and for more productive work or gaming, Windows is just better (And you can add Ubuntu or OS X)

I highly doubt a larger number of normal people store massive amounts of movies on their computer. That defeats the whole purpose of a Chromebook. You can use local storage, but everything else is in Google Drive that you save, which is not that much, because this is normal average people.

A Windows tablet is a gimped computer without a keyboard. There is a reason they aren't selling and Microsoft had to license Windows for tablets free. If someone wanted a tablet they would get an actually tablet OS like Android or iOS.

I also highly doubt someone (normal people we are taking about here) is gaming on a Windows tablet. What specific reason would a Windows tablet would be better than a Chromebook? I can't find one as a Windows tablet has more compromises than a Chromebook, at least with a Chromebook I can have a traditional laptop form factor instead of paying for accessories for a smaller screen.

Sent from my XT907 using Mobile Nations mobile app

 

[PiggyMiddle]

- Office is becoming irrelevant, because non-power users can do everything they need to do using Google Docs, Open Office or iWork.

While I agree with some of your points, the above quote needs to be checked against the apple most downloaded app figures since Office release to apple-aps. Msoft has a huge grip within the corporate world with Office that Google Docs can only dream about. The other OS items you mention have hardly any grip at all.

The apps for windows phone will scoot up now that wp8.1 is moving out into the wild. Developers and users were not fans of wp7 or wp8, but wp8.1 is putting the cat amongst the pigeons right now. I am an app developer and the interest is moving up fast. It will not reach Android for a while but msoft is doing a lot of things correctly to push into that app market. Cortana was a huge leap for them as the voice "features" on wp8 and earlier were joke! Choose one of five statements for the phone to understand. Are you kidding me?

Don't give up on windows yet, I have just bought a 520 to work with and I know many other devs doing the same. The msoft SDK is MUCH easier to work with than Android.