A lot of Windows fans are pissed that only a single North American carrier is officially going to support the new Lumias. Blame has been handed to every single person involved in this: Microsoft, the carriers, Google, and even Windows fans themselves for refusing to dump Verizon and Sprint and run over to AT&T to make a point to Verizon. Most people, however seem to think that this is Microsoft's fault, and while I agree I am much more sympathetic to Microsoft's predicament than many.
The poor state of Windows Phone is Microsoft fault the same way not being able to get your dream job because you had poor grades in college is your fault. By the time you're rejected for your job, it's probably too late for you to go back and get good grades. You could be the most hard working person in the world today, but if you flunked Physics in college no company is going to hire you to build a rocket. You were supposed to have foresight in the past so that you could secure your future. Microsoft lacked that foresight when the iPhone was launched, and was too slow when Android picked up steam.
Those that think Microsoft hasn't tried since then however, either have short memories or simply expect miracles. Remember the Windows Phone 7 launch? Dell (yes, Dell!) released a phone. Almost every single manufacturer released a Windows Phone 7 phone. Microsoft had a funeral for iPhone event. They splattered ads for their new OS on every medium. Every single carrier had a Windows Phone in their lineup. Momentum was great. It's funny when people say that had Microsoft advertised more, they would have been more successful. I don't want to know how much money it cost to get all those manufacturers and carriers on board, and to get all those ads airing everywhere. It was clear at launch that Microsoft was serious.
What Microsoft, wasn't, and still isn't to this day, is willing to do ANYTHING to make sure Windows Phone succeeds. And I don't blame them. Willing to do anything would have been taking resources from the Windows team in order to give Windows Phone faster release times. Apple has famously done this twice, once for the release of the original iPhone and again when they were writing iOS 7. Willing to do anything would have been striking ANY deal necessary with the carriers to ensure that they lost control over updates, including paying them ungodly amounts of money (because to this day only Apple has been able to give the carriers the middle finger and not shoot themselves in the process). Willing to anything would have been promising to handle ALL advertising costs for ALL the phones on ALL carriers because they (the carriers) didn't want to bet on an uncertain platform with their own money. In essence willing to do anything would have meant mortgaging the company just so that they could get a foothold in mobile market, and I honestly think that would have been stupid.
Microsoft already pulled out all the stops with WP7's launch, and they barely broke 3%. Why would they be willing to double down on this strategy when the market clearly doesn't WANT (or more importantly NEED) them. It's a money losing venture all around, and it seems Microsoft has finally come to their senses. Release phones unlocked so you can control the updates, let those enthusiastic about the platform support it, and ensure you stay in the minds of people everywhere by improving on the products that you can actually sell: Windows and Office. If the integration between Windows 10 and Windows Mobile 10 ever becomes something market-worthy, their phones would be there waiting. And if not, their phones would still be there; the 1-OS dream is kinda needs a mobile screen to make sense. But expecting Microsoft to do WHATEVER it takes to make sure Windows Phone succeeds is naive. They need to make money and it simply makes no sense to throw money away at something that has failed to make a noticeable dent in the market.
I admit this isn't a very popular opinion, but it's the truth. Those of us that can afford to stay on will stay, and those that won't won't. Just stop expecting Windows Mobile to be the primary focus of a company as large as Microsoft. It probably never will be.
The poor state of Windows Phone is Microsoft fault the same way not being able to get your dream job because you had poor grades in college is your fault. By the time you're rejected for your job, it's probably too late for you to go back and get good grades. You could be the most hard working person in the world today, but if you flunked Physics in college no company is going to hire you to build a rocket. You were supposed to have foresight in the past so that you could secure your future. Microsoft lacked that foresight when the iPhone was launched, and was too slow when Android picked up steam.
Those that think Microsoft hasn't tried since then however, either have short memories or simply expect miracles. Remember the Windows Phone 7 launch? Dell (yes, Dell!) released a phone. Almost every single manufacturer released a Windows Phone 7 phone. Microsoft had a funeral for iPhone event. They splattered ads for their new OS on every medium. Every single carrier had a Windows Phone in their lineup. Momentum was great. It's funny when people say that had Microsoft advertised more, they would have been more successful. I don't want to know how much money it cost to get all those manufacturers and carriers on board, and to get all those ads airing everywhere. It was clear at launch that Microsoft was serious.
What Microsoft, wasn't, and still isn't to this day, is willing to do ANYTHING to make sure Windows Phone succeeds. And I don't blame them. Willing to do anything would have been taking resources from the Windows team in order to give Windows Phone faster release times. Apple has famously done this twice, once for the release of the original iPhone and again when they were writing iOS 7. Willing to do anything would have been striking ANY deal necessary with the carriers to ensure that they lost control over updates, including paying them ungodly amounts of money (because to this day only Apple has been able to give the carriers the middle finger and not shoot themselves in the process). Willing to anything would have been promising to handle ALL advertising costs for ALL the phones on ALL carriers because they (the carriers) didn't want to bet on an uncertain platform with their own money. In essence willing to do anything would have meant mortgaging the company just so that they could get a foothold in mobile market, and I honestly think that would have been stupid.
Microsoft already pulled out all the stops with WP7's launch, and they barely broke 3%. Why would they be willing to double down on this strategy when the market clearly doesn't WANT (or more importantly NEED) them. It's a money losing venture all around, and it seems Microsoft has finally come to their senses. Release phones unlocked so you can control the updates, let those enthusiastic about the platform support it, and ensure you stay in the minds of people everywhere by improving on the products that you can actually sell: Windows and Office. If the integration between Windows 10 and Windows Mobile 10 ever becomes something market-worthy, their phones would be there waiting. And if not, their phones would still be there; the 1-OS dream is kinda needs a mobile screen to make sense. But expecting Microsoft to do WHATEVER it takes to make sure Windows Phone succeeds is naive. They need to make money and it simply makes no sense to throw money away at something that has failed to make a noticeable dent in the market.
I admit this isn't a very popular opinion, but it's the truth. Those of us that can afford to stay on will stay, and those that won't won't. Just stop expecting Windows Mobile to be the primary focus of a company as large as Microsoft. It probably never will be.
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