Why Microsoft may gain an upper hand with carriers thanks to 'Always Connected' PCs

[Windows Central]

Folding Surface fan render, by David Breyer.
If Microsoft's telephony-enabled pocket PC category makes it to market, it could benefit from a shift of carrier support in Microsoft's favor.
The tech industry is in constant flux. New device types often introduce new business, distribution, and marketing models. Nothing, not even well established and familiar paradigms stay the same.

Under the current smartphone model carriers have a lot of influence on what devices are put before consumers. If a carrier isn't confident a device will sell or isn't motivated to work with a manufacturer it may not carry or invest in promoting a device. Consequently, a company that has little influence with carriers will have little success with getting its devices onto carrier shelves and into consumers hands.

This is one reason why Microsoft, unlike Apple and Samsung, failed to achieve broad carrier distribution during its attempts at success in the smartphone market. Here's why that may change with its new telephony-enabled PC category.

Full story from the WindowsCentral blog...