[SquareDancer]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/13/us-microsoft-cfo-idUSBRE91C1L720130213
Quote:

Microsoft Corp has not made much of a dent in Apple Inc's and Google Inc's domination of mobile computing, but a top executive hinted on Wednesday that it will not stop trying and does not have an alternative strategy.

Given Microsoft's lack of success so far, he was asked if there was an alternative strategy or 'Plan B' in reserve.

"It's less 'Plan B' than how you execute on the current plan," said Klein. "We aim to evolve this generation of Windows to make sure we have the right set of experiences at the right price points for all customers."

So basically "plan B" is to drive the company in to the ground.

 

[startekee]

Um, what do you not like about Windows Phone 8, and have you used a Lumia device?

 

[sherlock]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SquareDancer

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/13/us-microsoft-cfo-idUSBRE91C1L720130213
So basically "plan B" is to drive the company in to the ground.

While not having an alternate strategy is not preferable, I don't see "going mobile" = "drive the company into the ground". Steve Ballmer laughed at IPhone when it came out, who is laughing now?

The Desktop market is not growing any time soon and sitting on a market that is not growing is definitely suicide, Microsoft need Windows 8/WP8/Surface.

 

[Mad Pistol]

The big issue is that Microsoft has come into the mobile game late, and since Android and iOS have such a commanding lead in marketshare, Microsoft is now forced with the daunting task of climbing a mountain with only a couple snow boots for traction. That's what happens when you go against two competitors that have majority market share.

 

[BinaryDemon]

It's this all or nothing mentality that's killing Microsoft.

Windows 8 could have been the most well received desktop OS ever with just a few UI tweaks, but NO they would rather use it to push a consistent UI with Surface and Win8 Phones despite the fact that most desktops don't have touch input. Watch Win9 require Kinect. Microsoft used to be the middle ground between simplicity and flexibility, but now they offer neither.

 

[Giac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by startekee

Um, what do you not like about Windows Phone 8, and have you used a Lumia device?

What are you smoking son? I have a Lumia 800, a 920 and a 620. I love them all but the interface is trash compared to my ageing N9. No real multitasking, the most basic of tasks such as turning on Wi-Fi take way too many taps. Microsoft definitely need to step up their game.

 

[SquareDancer]

http://www.zdnet.com/windows-phone-doesnt-excite-many-after-two-years-blackberry-should-clinch-3rd-place-7000011327/
Quote:

Windows Phone doesn't excite many after two years; BlackBerry should clinch 3rd place

Larry asked about the chances for BlackBerry and Microsoft to garner momentum. BlackBerry basically took the year off in 2012 so it was no surprise to see them lose almost 5 percent of the market share; but they still remain in third place. With the release of BlackBerry 10 and solid Z10 and Q10 hardware, I believe we will see a BlackBerry come back in 2013.

...

One the other hand, while Windows Phone 8 is an updated platform, it is not a new platform -- and looks nearly the same as Windows Phone 7. Microsoft has been selling Windows Phone 7 devices for over two years now and it is still not grabbing the attention of consumers or the enterprise. Windows Phone relies on Nokia for the limited share they have.

 

[razorguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giac

What are you smoking son? I have a Lumia 800, a 920 and a 620. I love them all but the interface is trash compared to my ageing N9. No real multitasking, the most basic of tasks such as turning on Wi-Fi take way too many taps. Microsoft definitely need to step up their game.

You can download connectivity tiles for that. Also, the rumored notification center coming out in the next update should make it easier.

IMO Microsoft has a solid mobile OS that is just going to take time for people to get used to and actually give a chance. It's hard to say how many people who "hate Windows 8" haven't even tried it. Their presence in mobile will grow slowly, but steadily I think.

 

[wutang61]

Quote:

Originally Posted by razorguy

You can download connectivity tiles for that. Also, the rumored notification center coming out in the next update should make it easier.

IMO Microsoft has a solid mobile OS that is just going to take time for people to get used to and actually give a chance. It's hard to say how many people who "hate Windows 8" haven't even tried it. Their presence in mobile will grow slowly, but steadily I think.

The majority prolly doesn't hate windows 8. The touch based interface for a mouse based user ( the vast majority) just seems a little stupid to me. The rest of the OS seems cool.

 

[andrews2547]

That's incredibly stupid, I would have thought Microsoft would have at least 3 different plans.

 

[Kitler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mad Pistol

The big issue is that Microsoft has come into the mobile game late, and since Android and iOS have such a commanding lead in marketshare, Microsoft is now forced with the daunting task of climbing a mountain with only a couple snow boots for traction. That's what happens when you go against two competitors that have majority market share.

Yes, but so did Android, and also between Blackberry and Apple.

A small competitor comes into the market to take over all the time. It's all about the product.

The problem for Microsoft is its lack of promotion. Frankly they are awful at it and that has always hurt their sales. Apple is successful, because they do huge events for their releases, and all of the media is talking about it. That is not true for Microsoft.

 

[Sylon]

Do you really expect anyone from a corporation (at least with some power within the corp.) to say anything else?

Lets translate.

"No plan B" Really means "we are confident that plan A will work out" or at the very least they are willing to try and stick it out.

"We have several 'plan b' if you will" Really means "We are not all that confident Plan A will work out, so we came up with some stuff just in case Plan A fails"

Do not forget MS is a corporation first. We all know that the value of ones stock and more importantly the image of the company in the eyes of the public has little to do with how well the corporation performed, rather it more relies on what is expected of that company during said quarter/fiscal year.

Apple has been making record profit for how long now? Their stocks enjoyed a long time of soaring to new heights, but recently it hasn't gone anywhere. Are they doing something wrong? Are their shipments down (aside from iPod)? No....they sell record amounts of iPhones, iPads, and their computers are not doing that bad either.

 

[Sylon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitler

Yes, but so did Android, and also between Blackberry and Apple.

A small competitor comes into the market to take over all the time. It's all about the product.

The problem for Microsoft is its lack of promotion. Frankly they are awful at it and that has always hurt their sales. Apple is successful, because they do huge events for their releases, and all of the media is talking about it. That is not true for Microsoft.

The image apple has cannot be measured on the same scale as MS. To the average Joe, MS is nothing exciting and certainly not in the premium category. Apple on the other hand is, their products are to a lot of people fashionable.

MS can do giant promotions, but they will have to do something about their image first. The release of Windows 8 certainly has not helped.

EDIT: Android was not late. Before iOS and Android...all you had were symbian, dumbphones, and blackberry. Not really much else, until android, iOS arrived and redefined what it means to be a smartphone. Before the release of android, I had a Samsung innov8 running symbian with a 8mp camera, that was considered a smartphone at the time.

 

[Giac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by razorguy

You can download connectivity tiles for that. Also, the rumored notification center coming out in the next update should make it easier.

IMO Microsoft has a solid mobile OS that is just going to take time for people to get used to and actually give a chance. It's hard to say how many people who "hate Windows 8" haven't even tried it. Their presence in mobile will grow slowly, but steadily I think.

It's not baked into the OS, I shouldnt have to download a 3rd party app do that. Besides I've tried those and it always takes ages to get back to the home screen. The start screen is a nice concept, but the rest of the OS feels really basic. Why should I need buttons on the front of the device? The N9 Managed to get rid of those with it's swipe interface. Why should I need a dedicated search button that takes me straight to bing search wherever I am in the OS? Why can't I scrobble through my music? Why am I forced instead to hold the fast forward button? All these design choices are INCREDIBLY frustrating, and I say this as an avid nokia fan. Anyone who can't find a fault in Windows Phone 8 is either delusional, or they use it as a feature phone.

 

[CerealKillah]

Every mobile phone article author has their own opinion on how Microsoft will fare with the current generation of Windows phone. Some think it will move to number 3 by the end of the year, some predict the demise.

My wife recently picked up an HTC 8X and it is a great phone. It is new phone time for me...and I probably won't go that way..but the interface is soo dang easy to use.

If you aren't some sort of techie nerd who loves to mess with stuff (I raise my hand), Windows Phone 8 is pretty dang slick.

 

[[email protected]]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sylon

Apple has been making record profit for how long now? Their stocks enjoyed a long time of soaring to new heights, but recently it hasn't gone anywhere. Are they doing something wrong? Are their shipments down (aside from iPod)? No....they sell record amounts of iPhones, iPads, and their computers are not doing that bad either.

They're totally disreguarding the "pro" market with the delay on the new macpro with thunderbolt, Logic 9 is getting really old compared to the newer DAW's , Final Cut Pro X was also a bit of a flop.
Lot's of people are actually building "you know what" so they can keep their(spelling?) specs up to date , in the music industry atleast.
And the "pro" customers are not so few that they can disreguard a market like that.

I still love my apple stuff ( I have a eMac

) but they better catch up to what people are asking or they will loose alot of people over to Windows 8 or "you know what" machines.

 

[pcfoo]

Apple does great, but the $700 stock price was insane - purely speculative. If you gambled on it for short time profits, well, chances are you were wrong, and the few made huge profits out of you.
I don't know how much money MS lost with the surface / win 8 phones, but I don't see it like that - they move into a segment where they had no or very little presence, and now they do.

Apple was a flop for decades, but they kept trying till they succeeded. That's the model other companies should follow, and MS appears to be taking it seriously by acquiring part of DELL and stepping forward to give RL paradigms in devices. Yes, maybe those feel less mature, but in many ways that's because that's what innovation is about. You cannot be born mature.

I find it a move towards something better than what we have now, even if the step is not completed.
No risk, no gain.

 

[GrizzleBoy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BinaryDemon

It's this all or nothing mentality that's killing Microsoft.

Windows 8 could have been the most well received desktop OS ever with just a few UI tweaks, but NO they would rather use it to push a consistent UI with Surface and Win8 Phones despite the fact that most desktops don't have touch input. Watch Win9 require Kinect. Microsoft used to be the middle ground between simplicity and flexibility, but now they offer neither.

You seem to be missing their whole dilemma though.

Nobody (or at least "not enough" people) will go to go out and buy a new PC because a desktop OS got good reviews (it was different back when no other OS could compete), especially when it doesn't actually require new hardware to run it. My ancient tank of a Toshiba Satellite A252 runs like I bought it today with Windows 8.

Microsoft could EASILY have simply banked on making a "safe" OS that got consistently good reviews, but that isn't a good long term strategy for the PC market as a whole.

The Windows computer buying market has been stagnant in growth for a long time, despite Windows 7 being the "perfect" OS according to "internet". If anything, the growth destabilized the most after Windows 7 launched, despite an initial hike that lasted a few months.

It doesn't actually matter if Windows 8 isn't a blockbuster. What is important for them is to establish a base for where the future of computing is going and what the market is demanding. Sure the current state of Windows 8 and what it brings isn't fully realising potential, but since when does that ever happen in the first iteration of any new business venture/direction?

People may not be pulling their hair out in excitement about the current products, but they are saying that they'll wait until the next iteration. That's a good thing. Its a sign that the concept has been accepted and that only refinement is needed in order to make it into a truly competitive.

"a few UI tweaks" would stop some of the internet broo-haa-haa about it all, but it wouldn't actually create any kind of substantial push forward in terms of de-stagnating growth/interest in the market.

 

[HowHardCanItBe]

They should just focus on windows and xbox.

 

[BinaryDemon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrizzleBoy

You seem to be missing their whole dilemma though.

Apparently I am, because I don't see why Microsoft couldnt accomplish both goals at once.