I think MS should change tactics and aim lower

[Pronk]

Here's a thought. I think MS should forget about being no. 1 and stop making out they'll be no. 1 one day soon. That doesn't mean at all that WP7 isn't a good product - it means being realistic and playing to your strengths and be seen as very much NOT acting like the company they used to be that liked to come in and throw its weight and cash around to get what it wants regardless of what the market want.

I think a consolidated third place would be a solid business to build from and to go forwards for future generations. WebOS is effectively dead. Symbian is actually dead. RIM is making blunder after blunder. But Apple and Google aren't making any major mistakes and there's no real sign either of them will suddenly mess up. So for now, shooting for either of them in any meaningful way is pointless - they're too far gone to reel in for this generation.

So here's what to do:
1. Get some attractive, reliable low-end phones out and really, really push the connectivity AND get a simple, reliable messaging app into the marketplace. That's a huge amount of the non-business RIM community attracted.
2. Open up the format much more to homebrew and devs. That'll get a real buzz going, build a LOT of loyalty, and get brilliant tweaks and free apps into the hands of users. Get WP7 known as the platform with the openness of WebOS but the elegance of iOS and the hardware choice of Android.
3. Go for simple, clear ads that focus on showing a single aspect of what the OS can do, not on bashing what other systems can/can't do or going down the boring generic route of the PC advertising MS do.

Double digit market share first, THEN (and only then) maybe start thinking about getting second place. It looks good to achieve your goals and make your current users as happy as possible so they'll stay. It looks silly and arrogant to say "we'll win" and focus on that when you're sprinting in what's actually a marathon and you're already behind.

What do you reckon?

 

[jason404]

That's all exactly what they have done and are doing. I can give examples in every point you make, but that is not practical from my phone. Maybe I will elaborate later on, when I get back home.

 

[Pronk]

Perhaps they have, but it's not the exclusive focus, which is what I think it should be.

I should probably explain where I'm coming at with this. I let a fairly techy friend who's looking for a new phone try my Lumia yesterday. He liked it, but said he wouldn't buy it because its Microsoft and he doesn't trust them not to either kill the product if it doesn't do well enough for Ballmer like a lot of their other recent ideas, or ditch it and make WP8 another fresh (i.e. incompatible) start over because they don't have much to lose.

I don't think either of those things is likely to happen, but that's a vibe that's obviously out there (and my friend isn't anti-MS - he owns a couple of Windows PCs). I don't think a lot of people trust MS at the moment and I think their showing they're in the long term by being seen to be really building the community first before making bold claims about future market leadership might help damp that down.

 

[freestaterocker]

Couldn't have said it better myself! Lees getting benched didn't help my fears either... I am committed to WP7 now, and if MS throws in the towel I'll be going back to a feature phone. Apple refuses to make a device that man-sized hands can type on, and Android is too fragmented and insecure. (in more ways than one) MS Canada has yet to give us a Gen 2 device and I'm getting nervous.

Sent from my HD7 using Board Express

 

[WPLuver]

For all yee doubting thomas-es, just remember the XBOX. Back then it was all about the Wii and the PS1, PS2 etc. Where are they now ? The Gamer's paradise is XBOX360 and DirectX 11 on the PC. Microsoft almost always comes from behind and if there is money to be made in that business they will get it right by generation three of the product.

Btw.. Mango, Tango etc are all really generation 1. Apollo will be a true Generation II. So we have ways to go

 

[Pronk]

Er...the Wii is the no. 1 selling console of this generation by a massive margin - about as third as much again as the xbox and ps3 have sold. The 360 and the ps3 install bases are so close as to basically be equal - the 360 is ahead in the US but behind in Japan and Europe.

Does make my point though - you need to stick with a solid product to build it up.

 

[Big Supes]

Going off on a bit of tangent, I wouldn't be surprised if Sony pull out of the console market. IMO, the PS3 was a flop (as a console); a lot of people invested into the blu-ray functionality. Sony make a big lose on every single console they sell. They used the Playstation brand to win the format war, sacrificing the experience for gamers. I know many Sony loyalists who have moved over to the 360 for gaming, whilst keeping their PS3 for BD. When it comes down to the next gen, I honestly think Microsoft have the clear edge with supreme confidence from the gamers that they're backing the right horse.

Regarding the original topic, I agree largely with the changes, aside from the mentality of aiming for third place. IMO, in everything you do, you've got to aim for the top if you're going to be successful. I honestly believe WP can make it to the top. Only last night I was in the pub when a friend noticed my phone and asked what it was. After 30 seconds of explaining I had a group of people around me all wanting to know more about it. Live tiles, people/picture hub (metro UI), and Bing Scout/maps totally got their attention. I ended up have a geek-off battle of phones against a friend who recently acquired an iPhone 4. After a lot of banter he actually said to me: "if I had known about that phone previously, I would have got it over the iPhone", and kicked himself even more when I told him the tariff I was on.

Baring in mind WP is merely out of diapers, I have high hopes for the platform.