@N_LaRUE
1) I disagree, the mobile division was not that different than the Surface division it did not make them a hardware company. Retaining the supply chain, the factories and people who worked in their factories would have made them into a hardware company in the traditional sense.
However whether Satya Nadella likes it or not they are still a hardware company - they make mices, keyboards and if the Surface devices aren't hardware I don't what is lol. Let's not forget Xbox and Hololens. It can be spun however Microsoft wishes - i.e a devices and services company - but these devices are still hardware are they not?
Additionally, the mobile division could have been downsized and did not need to be axed.
In regards to Windows phone faltering?
There were regions were Windows phone was making headway in here is one key flash point:
www.kantarworldpanel.com/global/News/Record-share-for-Windows-phone
After mobile division was axed - quite publicly if I might add Windows phone completely plummeted. Along with developer interest across the board thus all momentum for UWA and caused companies to drop their Windows or UWP ambitions. Thus ultimately they did not have any transitional leverage points to spring board the NEO or DUO from.
2) Yes, it's a specialised version of Android however it still is reliant on Google's mobile suite - you do not get access to the Google's play store if you do not embed it in it's entirety into the O/S including all associated APIs. Therefore Microsoft is still at Google's whim just like any other OEM.
Sure, Microsoft won't sell many of the Duo however developer momentum is till dependent on visible adoption. Key word here - visible - as that expands mindshare.
In regards to Samsung, don't forget Tizen O/S and Bixby.
3)I did also mention Windows does have flaws etc and I quote:
I'm not saying Windows doesn't already has it's own flaws, exploits and holes we really don't need to another large dose of it from the Android O/S side of the equation lol.
Again, I disagree it's not just risky apps people are sideloading on Android - this is just from a a few minutes search under - Android vulnerability arstechnica.
Published: October 04 2019
arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/10/attackers-exploit-0day-vulnerability-that-gives-full-control-of-android-phones/
Published: September 05 2019
arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/09/android-zeroday-gives-hackers-a-way-to-elevate-attacks/
Published: Aug 2018
arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/08/qualcomm-chip-flaws-expose-900-million-android-devices/
Published: April 2018
arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/08/fortnites-android-vulnerability-leads-to-googleepic-games-spat/
Published: July 2015
www.npr.org/sections/alltechconside...t-hackers-in-with-just-a-text?t=1571248393899
Published: April 2017
arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/04/wide-range-of-android-phones-vulnerable-to-device-hijacks-over-wi-fi/
Published: Jan 2017
arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/01/google-plugs-severe-android-bootmode-vulnerability/
Published: May 2016
arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/05/5-year-old-android-vulnerability-exposes-texts-and-call-histories/
Published: Mar 2015
arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/03/freak-flaw-in-android-and-apple-devices-cripples-https-crypto-protection/
Published: Aug 2013
arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/08/google-confirms-critical-android-crypto-flaw-used-in-5700-bitcoin-heist/
Published: Jul 2013
arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/07/android-flaw-allows-hackers-to-surreptitiously-modify-apps/
I'm not a fan boi either, I am always heavily critical of Microsoft and have been so in the past. Plus that Safari exploit that Google is being sued for was not due to side loaded or jailbroken apps.
My household is a multi-platform household so I can see the merits, advantages and disadvantages of each platfrom. Heck, I've ripped Microsoft heavily on the forums about the issues surrounded Windows Phone.
What I'm trying to get across is that Google does not deserve the blasé pass most people obliviously give to them. This applies to every single company and I've said it before - the whole concept of fanboyism is profoundly naive as multi-billion dollar corporations do not care about a person other than their profits.