The end objective is to get more/most OEMs to sell Windows Phone... and ideally more so than they sell Android.
Getting there is the difficult part. How do you convince the OEMs to go WP? We're past the point where offering the OS for free is going to work, though it might attract certain OEMs (e.g. Micromax, Alcatel, etc), the big players (e.g. Sony, Samsung, HTC) aren't interested. Sure, they might keep their eyes and ears open from the sidelines or perhaps even have their foot in the door, but neither of that is particularly useful to Microsoft and Windows Phone.
That said, OEMs do have this dream of being able to offer something to the market that mirrors Apple's 'appeal.' In some cases we've seen the OEMs offer compelling hardware, but they haven't achieved the 'Apple Factor.' The same goes for software. Android has definitely progressed leaps and bounds, but it is no iOS in the sense of appeal and loyalty (on the part of average consumers). It's literally the next Windows, and while that helps for market-share, it isn't an absolute win. Why isn't an absolute win? Because there's still an Apple in the market, that appeal for something snazzy and cutting-edge is not in the hands of Google/Android, but Apple/iOS. To be honest, Microsoft was *very* close to that stage of literally conquering the landscape during the Longhorn hype, Google isn't there yet.
In the gaps mentioned above there is room for Windows Phone. If Microsoft can succeed in replicating the 'wow' element of iOS, e.g. actually follow-through with Cortland, it may have a chance at bringing the OEMs over its side, again.
Microsoft shouldn't necessarily aim for the Apple crowd, but rather, build hype around other elements, e.g. combining WP and RT to create this Ubuntu-esque device that is a phone, but when hooked up to a monitor, turns into a desktop PC (with the desktop coming via RDP or Cloud/Virtualization, a la Chrome OS). Heck, imagine a function where hooking up to a monitor with Xbox gamepad results in a mobile gaming console (one that could possibly stream Xbox 360 games).
In addition to features, it'll be key for Microsoft to double-down on leading app developers on WP. Once the platforms hits 100 million users it is imperative that Microsoft compel Facebook to produce genuinely stellar FB and Instagram apps, for example. The same should apply others, e.g. Twitter, LinkedIn, Netflix, Flipboard etc. It's critical that when people try out those apps on WP that their minds get blown.
In general, "Windows Phone... where excitement happens."
Getting there is the difficult part. How do you convince the OEMs to go WP? We're past the point where offering the OS for free is going to work, though it might attract certain OEMs (e.g. Micromax, Alcatel, etc), the big players (e.g. Sony, Samsung, HTC) aren't interested. Sure, they might keep their eyes and ears open from the sidelines or perhaps even have their foot in the door, but neither of that is particularly useful to Microsoft and Windows Phone.
That said, OEMs do have this dream of being able to offer something to the market that mirrors Apple's 'appeal.' In some cases we've seen the OEMs offer compelling hardware, but they haven't achieved the 'Apple Factor.' The same goes for software. Android has definitely progressed leaps and bounds, but it is no iOS in the sense of appeal and loyalty (on the part of average consumers). It's literally the next Windows, and while that helps for market-share, it isn't an absolute win. Why isn't an absolute win? Because there's still an Apple in the market, that appeal for something snazzy and cutting-edge is not in the hands of Google/Android, but Apple/iOS. To be honest, Microsoft was *very* close to that stage of literally conquering the landscape during the Longhorn hype, Google isn't there yet.
In the gaps mentioned above there is room for Windows Phone. If Microsoft can succeed in replicating the 'wow' element of iOS, e.g. actually follow-through with Cortland, it may have a chance at bringing the OEMs over its side, again.
Microsoft shouldn't necessarily aim for the Apple crowd, but rather, build hype around other elements, e.g. combining WP and RT to create this Ubuntu-esque device that is a phone, but when hooked up to a monitor, turns into a desktop PC (with the desktop coming via RDP or Cloud/Virtualization, a la Chrome OS). Heck, imagine a function where hooking up to a monitor with Xbox gamepad results in a mobile gaming console (one that could possibly stream Xbox 360 games).
In addition to features, it'll be key for Microsoft to double-down on leading app developers on WP. Once the platforms hits 100 million users it is imperative that Microsoft compel Facebook to produce genuinely stellar FB and Instagram apps, for example. The same should apply others, e.g. Twitter, LinkedIn, Netflix, Flipboard etc. It's critical that when people try out those apps on WP that their minds get blown.
In general, "Windows Phone... where excitement happens."
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram