I think it's becoming more apparent with each passing month of WP8's existence that Google is nervous at the thought of a competing OS not running iOS. Android's surge to dominance in the US and Europe owes a large part to dissatisfied iPhone owners making the switch to Android as well as offering dirt cheap smartphones in emerging Asian markets. Windows Phone of course poses a threat of competition to Android in ways that Apple wasn't competing with Android. Apple devices sell at a premium because people are for whatever reason enamored with any product that bears the Apple logo or has the lower case i in the name. People who want an Apple product will buy an Apple product regardless of more technically advanced alternatives being available for cheaper. Android always was the rebound girl after the Apple breakup and now there's another, people leaving Apple have WP as an alternative to Android. MS has a direct competing product/service to everything Google offers, once a user adopts a MS service or product the alternative Google option is off the table. Apple never threatened Google like this because nearly every iPhone has a Gmail, YouTube, Chrome app or uses Google search on Safari. With MS in the dance Google lost alot of leverage over Apple ( as shown by Siri migrating to Bing to spite Google).
Google knows that if Windows Phone received all of Google's apps and services that WP would nibble at their userbase in the same way they did to Apple. I know plenty of Android users who've switched to WP and considered it, without considering returning to Apple. The main thing holding most of them back is the lack of Google apps and not apps in general. Microsoft may be seen as a David (if we're just talking smartphones) but if we're talking all of NASDAQ and sway in the tech industry then Microsoft is the lion and Google is the hyena who eats what the lion leaves and allows it to eat. Microsoft needs to hit everything Google affiliated with license fees and legal red tape while continuing to become friendlier with Apple I/e push out Skype, Office, OneDrive updates and features to Windows and Apple long before the Android/Chrome users get the same updates/versions of the MS services. Microsoft SHOULD patent troll Google Inc. relentlessly within what the laws allow. OEM's like Samsung and HTC will spend more money on production of Android running phones and Androids will rise in price or take a loss. Microsoft still controls the cash cow productivity software in America and most of the world and owns the rights to massive piles of patents. Microsoft could not only wage a licensing war on Android, but on x86 Google programs running on hundreds of millions of windows PC's. They could also do things like making Xbox Live Gold and Office 365 subscriptions cheaper for users with non Gmail web addresses, by offering discounted rates specific to Outlook/Live/Hotmail users and keeping the rates the same for Gmail users. Imagine seeing 10,15,20 and even 25% off specials and clearances for games on Xbox Live and Gmail users finding out they're not eligible for the discounted rates. Or a new business finding out the business can get Office 365 for cheaper if his/her employees use Outlook and not Gmail as the company email address.
Satya Nadella has a technological empire to support Windows Phone and force Google to play ball with Redmond's mobile OS.
Google knows that if Windows Phone received all of Google's apps and services that WP would nibble at their userbase in the same way they did to Apple. I know plenty of Android users who've switched to WP and considered it, without considering returning to Apple. The main thing holding most of them back is the lack of Google apps and not apps in general. Microsoft may be seen as a David (if we're just talking smartphones) but if we're talking all of NASDAQ and sway in the tech industry then Microsoft is the lion and Google is the hyena who eats what the lion leaves and allows it to eat. Microsoft needs to hit everything Google affiliated with license fees and legal red tape while continuing to become friendlier with Apple I/e push out Skype, Office, OneDrive updates and features to Windows and Apple long before the Android/Chrome users get the same updates/versions of the MS services. Microsoft SHOULD patent troll Google Inc. relentlessly within what the laws allow. OEM's like Samsung and HTC will spend more money on production of Android running phones and Androids will rise in price or take a loss. Microsoft still controls the cash cow productivity software in America and most of the world and owns the rights to massive piles of patents. Microsoft could not only wage a licensing war on Android, but on x86 Google programs running on hundreds of millions of windows PC's. They could also do things like making Xbox Live Gold and Office 365 subscriptions cheaper for users with non Gmail web addresses, by offering discounted rates specific to Outlook/Live/Hotmail users and keeping the rates the same for Gmail users. Imagine seeing 10,15,20 and even 25% off specials and clearances for games on Xbox Live and Gmail users finding out they're not eligible for the discounted rates. Or a new business finding out the business can get Office 365 for cheaper if his/her employees use Outlook and not Gmail as the company email address.
Satya Nadella has a technological empire to support Windows Phone and force Google to play ball with Redmond's mobile OS.