Windows Phone 7: Why it's failing

[*LTD*]

This is from Neowin, folks. A Windows and generic PC tech fansite, where Apple news (which is usually *good* Apple news) gets its fair share of hate from the envious and unhappy.

It's an editorial, but it's elaborating on what's everyone's minds.

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http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-phone-7-why-its-failing

Windows Phone 7: Why it's failing


Tzvi Friedman
1 hour ago

With the “Nodo” WP7 update fiasco finally reaching its unceremonious and unhappy conclusion, it’s hard to be optimistic about Microsoft’s stake in the smartphone market. The expectation was that after a few months of intense marketing and time for users to get used to the differences and advantages that WP7 brings to the table, sales would steadily increase to make WP7 the third major player in the mobile world. It shouldn’t necessarily be called “Nodo –gate,” but the PR nightmare that this update has become is not going to bode well for phone sales. This comes after Microsoft market share already dropped 1.7% in three months from October 2010 to January 2011, according to Comscore.


Watching Microsoft flounder about on the release of the first update to its preeminent mobile software is an uncomfortable experience. WP7 is do-or-die for the company that had been attempting to beat out Android and iOS with a significantly subpar Windows Mobile 6.5 OS. It’s do-or-die, and it’s late. Microsoft entered the market when Google and Apple already had entrenched user bases and established carrier agreements and sales figures. If you’re going to risk your whole mobile strategy on a late to the market OS, it has to be good the first time, and if you need to issue an update, it better be as smooth as butter. First adopters don’t have a lot of patience when there are other, sometimes arguably better options in the iOS and Android world. At least with Android, it’s no secret that your carrier update is going to take a long time. Consumers have taken this with a grain of salt to begin with, and Google doesn’t keep this strategy a secret. Fragmentation issues have plagued them from the beginning, and this is but a symptom. Microsoft, on the other hand, went out of their way to make sure that every handset shipping with WP7 has very specific hardware requirements and configurations. Issuing WP7 OS updates should not take this long, or be this awkwardly implemented.

Microsoft should be taking cues from its highly successful console gaming segment. From a purely comparative standpoint, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 would stand no chance against Sony’s PS3 and Nintendo’s Wii if it was released today. Sony has better hardware, free online services, and a catalog that leans heavily towards the long time and hard core gamer. Wii has the family friendly library, the intuitive and innovative (at the time) controller, and a great marketing department. Xbox 360 had astonishingly high hardware failures, a premium online service, sub-par and non-exclusive launch game catalog, was loud and bulky, you had to pay way too much for a wireless adapter, and in general wouldn’t be able to compete with the competition with its launch issues. However, Microsoft has one thing going for them that Sony and Nintendo do not. They came out early, they came out strong, and they continuously improve their services with regular and smooth updates. While it wasn’t a perfect console by any means, Microsoft was ready when Sony and Nintendo came a-knocking. It lost market share, as the two competing consoles are valid contenders in their own right, but Microsoft was able to sustain a significant market share throughout. Add to the mix the wildly successful and record breaking Kinect platform and you’ve got one of the greatest Microsoft success stories since Windows was unleashed on the unsuspecting public.

If Microsoft was suffering this bumpy road two years ago, the stakes wouldn’t be as high. We could brush it off as a new technology with all the trials and tribulations that innovation inevitably drags along with it. However, Microsoft has no time for this now. They can’t afford to be this late to the party, and then fumble around for an excuse as to why their beer isn’t cold.

Microsoft’s deal with Nokia might be its saving grace. The immediately increased hardware base could give Microsoft the needed momentum to get past the growing pains that the Nodo update has shown us the reality of. On the other hand, if Microsoft inherits a huge entity like the Symbian OS, and is still plagued by the hurdles it is still trying the get over, it may only make things worse. WP7 has been critically acclaimed for its streamlined UI and user-friendly feature set, but quality isn’t the only factor in successful sales push. Microsoft needs to get their act back together of they hope to ultimately be successful again in the mobile world.

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Solution:

Get rid of current management. Now. Before it's too late. How Ballmer still has a job no one can understand. Blame it on their universal licensing racket, which is actually an enabler of incredibly poor habits. Blame it on half-asleep shareholders that don't really care about growth. Blame who you will. There needs to be change at MS. And it should have happened about 4 years ago.

 

[neiltc13]

I just got my first Windows Phone 7 handset in the past couple of weeks. I'm really impressed so far and yesterday the update this article refers to became available for my phone and I installed it with no problems.

I think the issue that the writer here is alluding to is more to do with PR than anything else. Microsoft said it would release in early 2011, and that's what happened. However, somewhere down the line this message turned into "January 2011" and all hell broke loose.

I don't think these problems indicate that Windows Phone 7 is "failing" though.

For what it's worth, *LTD*, do you want to give us your opinion on what you've tried of Windows Phone 7?

 

[thejadedmonkey]

I'm another very happy Windows Phone 7 user. I've missed copy and paste a few times, since I bought the phone on release day. and that's the only feature I've missed that I haven't found a work-around - read: app - for. I'm not saying the NoDo update wouldn't be nice, but as long as it gets here sooner rather than later. I mean, it's been like a week since it was rolled out over update, I'm not concerned yet.

Really, it's quite a brilliant OS. And you'll find that Tzvi Friedman is an Apple fanboy, he doesn't usually miss a chance to knock Microsoft.

 

[*LTD*]

I just got my first Windows Phone 7 handset in the past couple of weeks. I'm really impressed so far and yesterday the update this article refers to became available for my phone and I installed it with no problems.

I think the issue that the writer here is alluding to is more to do with PR than anything else. Microsoft said it would release in early 2011, and that's what happened. However, somewhere down the line this message turned into "January 2011" and all hell broke loose.

I don't think these problems indicate that Windows Phone 7 is "failing" though.

For what it's worth, *LTD*, do you want to give us your opinion on what you've tried of Windows Phone 7?

Try what? Just like I tried the Zune/Zune HD? Didn't even touch that, but the moment I saw what MS was trying it do it had *fail* written all over it. Just like their Courier baloney that I knew was impossible for them to release. Just like their HP Slate that came out of nowhere - not because they spent years developing it, but because they played their usual game of me-too and rushed something out the door.

You don't need to try MS' half-baked efforts to know it's just not enough.

We have our cheap, race-to-the bottom commodity maker: Google

We have our Premium handset experience purveyor - and you can't and won't touch their market segment because their business model is fundamentally different from everyone else's: Apple

Where does that leave MS? Sloppy thirds. Maybe if they make their own hardware and lock it down nicely and develop a full end-to-end ecosystem, things will be magically better. But this is MS. You know what to expect even before you go in. Because nothing has changed. Same old Ballmer. Same old style. Company run the same way it's been run for years. Same old focus: Windows/Office universal licensing cash cow.

2007 was a great year. But Ballmer liked his strategy. He liked it a lot.

At least they have the Xbox. And some cool games for it.

 

[belvdr]

Try what? Just like I tried the Zune/Zune HD? Didn't even touch that, but the moment I saw what MS was trying it do it had *fail* written all over it.

Nice contradiction. Each person has their preference which means there isn't a definitive right or wrong choice.

Even in your original post, you said it was an editorial, so that confirms what I'm stating here.

 

[*LTD*]

Nice contradiction. Each person has their preference which means there isn't a definitive right or wrong choice.

Even in your original post, you said it was an editorial, so that confirms what I'm stating here.

Biased or not, someone is going to be right at the end of the day. There's no getting around that.

There's personal preference. And then there's a successful and unsuccessful product, and reasons for it. It has nothing to do with personal preferences.

 

[SevenInchScrew]

You don't need to try MS' half-baked efforts to know it's just not enough.

Normal people would. That is how you form an educated opinion. You, on the other hand, just slurp up everything that Apple feeds you, and then uses other people's articles as the basis for "Your" opinion. It's pretty sad, really.

Biased or not, someone is going to be right at the end of the day. There's no getting around that.

No, not with opinions. There is no "Right or Wrong" with opinions. You keep trying to "Prove" people made bad decisions with their non-Apple purchases, when that isn't possible. Many people like Android, as well as Blackberry and WP7. There is no right or wrong with that statement.

 

[neiltc13]

They say don't feed the trolls, but I'll give you another reply. From the top:

Try what? Just like I tried the Zune/Zune HD? Didn't even touch that, but the moment I saw what MS was trying it do it had *fail* written all over it.

So you claim it had "fail written all over it", yet you never tried it. That's interesting, because in my experience both the Zune client and Zune devices are superior to iPod and iTunes. I can say this because I've used both.

Just like their Courier baloney that I knew was impossible for them to release. Just like their HP Slate that came out of nowhere - not because they spent years developing it, but because they played their usual game of me-too and rushed something out the door.

Microsoft clearly does a lot of R&D and the good thing for us is that they choose to make some of this public, unlike Apple. It gives people like you fodder to claim that what they've made is a failure, but one has to wonder how many projects there are on the scrapheap in Cupertino as well. Just because we can't see them doesn't mean they don't exist.

You don't need to try MS' half-baked efforts to know it's just not enough.

There might have been a time when I'd have agreed with you, but the Microsoft of today is pushing out some very good products in lots of areas. If you don't try them though, then how can you possibly say that Apple's products are better?

We have our Premium handset experience purveyor - and you can't and won't touch their market segment because their business model is fundamentally different from everyone else's: Apple

The biggest change I've noticed when moving from iPhone to Windows Phone 7 is the presence of a hardware back button. I can press it to go back to the previous screen at any time. This not only saves screen space, but it also allows the back function to work between applications. If I see a link in an email, I can click it and then press the back button to get back to the email. If Apple's experience is so "premium", then why is their OS lacking such a hugely useful feature?

Where does that leave MS? Sloppy thirds. Maybe if they make their own hardware and lock it down nicely and develop a full end-to-end ecosystem, things will be magically better.

Interesting. Do you want to explain what part of the "ecosystem" on Windows Phone 7 is different to the "ecosystem" on iPhone?

But this is MS. You know what to expect even before you go in. Because nothing has changed. Same old Ballmer. Same old style. Company run the same way it's been run for years. Same old focus: Windows/Office universal licensing cash cow.

I can think of only two reasons why you harbour such hatred for Steve Ballmer:
1) You're a shareholder in Microsoft and are not impressed with his performance.
2) He killed your grandma.

I'm going to bet that 1) is the more likely scenario.

As for the hardware, why does Microsoft need to make their own handset?

I'm very happy with my Samsung phone and it has a feeling of quality that at least matches my friend's iPhone 4 and far exceeds my iPhone 3GS. They've also signed up Nokia to produce hardware for their OS and everyone knows that they are regarded very highly for the quality of their hardware.

At least they have the Xbox. And some cool games for it.

Indeed. One of my favourite features of Windows Phone 7 is the ability to sign in to my Xbox Live gamer profile on my phone and have all of my phone gaming activities tracked using their system. This simply isn't possible on iPhone, where people have to settle for Game Center or some third party network.

 

[belvdr]

Biased or not, someone is going to be right at the end of the day. There's no getting around that.

What a childish mentality. My toy is better than yours! Is not!

There's personal preference. And then there's a successful and unsuccessful product, and reasons for it. It has nothing to do with personal preferences.

Of course there's a reason for a successful/unsuccesful product and it's caused by consumer preferences. If I prefer X device then the manufacturer of that device gets a sale. If you prefer device Y, then they get a sale.

Tell me again how personal preference doesn't play into it and also how one can say whether one's personal preference for devices can be determined to be right or wrong?

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

Biased or not, someone is going to be right at the end of the day. There's no getting around that.

There's personal preference. And then there's a successful and unsuccessful product, and reasons for it. It has nothing to do with personal preferences.

They can both be successful products "at the end of the day." --I hate that cliché.

 

[*LTD*]

They can both be successful products

Sure.

And in the meantime long lines are forming around the globe today for the Xoom and the HP Slate.

 

[neiltc13]

Sure.

And in the meantime long lines are forming around the globe today for the Xoom and the HP Slate.

Did you forget that this topic is about Windows Phone 7?

 

[*LTD*]

Did you forget that this topic is about Windows Phone 7?

Same idea.

 

[roadbloc]

You need to look ahead six months or so *LTD*, like you failed to do with Android.

WP7 isn't going anywhere. The deal with Nokia has more than guaranteed that. I don't know anyone who hasn't had a Nokia phone at some point in their mobile phone using life, and I don't know anyone who has a bad thing to say about both Nokia and WP7 apart from them who haven't used them (which is probably just you.)

 

[kdarling]

It shouldn’t necessarily be called “Nodo –gate,” but the PR nightmare that this update has become is not going to bode well for phone sales.

Most people never noticed.

This comes after Microsoft market share already dropped 1.7% in three months from October 2010 to January 2011, according to Comscore.

Which, as wiser sites have noted, was because of enterprises leaving behind old Windows Mobile devices at the end of year, not because of fewer WP7 users.

WP7 is do-or-die for the company that had been attempting to beat out Android and iOS with a significantly subpar Windows Mobile 6.5 OS. It’s do-or-die, and it’s late.

More than a bit overdramatic.

Microsoft and its chances won't die if WP7 doesn't do well, any more than it did when WinMo didn't do well. It can always try again. And, as Apple demonstrated in 2007, it's never too late to come in with a good system.

 

[*LTD*]

More than a bit overdramatic.

Microsoft and its chances won't die if WP7 doesn't do well, any more than it did when WinMo didn't do well. It can always try again.

Yeah, there's always next time. Seems to be the mantra at MS.

Meanwhile Apple actually keeps delivering. Every year.

Of course, the "try again" attitude makes MS look like idiots after a while, especially when it becomes a habit, and will obviously cost them in terms of reputation and market value. Will they kill this thing like they did that Zune embarrassment?

But hey, **** it, there's always next time. No worries, man. It's aaaalll good. Right?

 

[kdarling]

Yeah, there's always next time. Seems to be the mantra at MS.

Hey, I'm not a MS fan when it comes to their marketing and project management. Heck, I'm still unhappy they killed the Courier project.

But I've been around the business for decades, and I know that it's not always too late if you actually come up with something innovative.

 

[*LTD*]

and I know that it's not always too late if you actually come up with something innovative.

I think we can both agree that this is the real key.

 

[neiltc13]

Of course, the "try again" attitude makes MS look like idiots after a while, especially when it becomes a habit, and will obviously cost them in terms of reputation and market value. Will they kill this thing like they did that Zune embarrassment?

Can you post a link with a comment or statement from Microsoft saying that they have "killed" Zune? I had a look and they're still on sale at Best Buy.

Nice to see you using Google Finance as well, any reason you're not posting a screenshot from the Stocks app on your iPhone or the Stocks dashboard widget? Or do you just prefer the service Google is offering you there?

 

[roadbloc]

That graph reminds me of when HBOS crashed. Lloyds Banking Group maintained a steady share price while HBOS's rose higher and higher before crashing down lower than LBG's. In the end, LBG bought out HBOS.

Just saying. Maintaining a steady share price is not a bad thing at all. I think it is daft you have resorted to the share price argument again. It has no relevance.

 

[wpotere]

I'm another that just got a Windows 7 phone and love it. Frankly I just couldn't justify spending teh 200+ dollars to get an iPhone and I program in C#. This platform is solid for a first release and NoDo is only going to make things better. So far, I am happy!

 

[Alaerian]

Nice to see you using Google Finance as well, any reason you're not posting a screenshot from the Stocks app on your iPhone or the Stocks dashboard widget? Or do you just prefer the service Google is offering you there?

Oh, for Pete's sake. Because he had a web browser open and typed in "MSFT." Get over it.

You seem to be a special and unmentionable type of snowflake.

 

[Alaerian]

This particular subforum seems to be chock full of snot-nosed brats, stomping their feet when an opinion contrary to their own is presented. And after their feelings are hurt, they do nothing but resort to 3rd grade bully tactics and insults.

Can we get a cleanup on aisle 3?

 

[Dr McKay]

This particular subforum seems to be chock full of snot-nosed brats, stomping their feet when an opinion contrary to their own is presented. And after their feelings are hurt, they do nothing but resort to 3rd grade bully tactics and insults.

Can we get a cleanup on aisle 3?

Kind of ironic you're defending the person from name-calling, who spends most of his time, calling others names.