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Microsoft-Built Smartphone Could Irritate Hardware Partners, Harm Nokia
Nerval's Lobster writes "Rumors have circulated for weeks that Microsoft intends to release a smartphone of its own design and manufacture, embracing the strategy that drove Apple's iPhone to such enormous success over the past few years. While releasing a branded smartphone offers several potential benefits—look at the revenue and brand recognition Apple's earned as a result of the iPhone—such a strategy also carries significant risks for Microsoft. First, it could alienate smartphone partners such as Nokia, which would find itself competing against a high-end device backed by Microsoft's sizable marketing dollars. (Given the Finnish phone-maker's already perilous situation, that could prove ruinous.) But a branded smartphone could also convince hardware manufacturers that Microsoft really is 'all in' on building its own devices, which could lead to all sorts of drama."
... from the folks who brought you the Zune ... THE ZONE!
Last I checked you could buy an Android phone from Google (i.e. the Nexus phones) or from a 3rd party company.
How is this any different?
There's no -1 for "I don't get it."
they wouldn't have to pay for full color RGB displays, since a blue screen would be good enough.
"National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
While it may be a net loss for Nokia (they have no one but themselves to blame), it will be good for consumers. Consumers need a third ecosystem, especially since WebOS is dead and BB10 looks uncertain. From what I have read, it seems like Microsoft might try out Chinese market first before launching in USA
Really...
Ok, they will release a new flight simulator, so that's at least one thing acceptable.
Yeah, real competitor here!
Was/is to make good products. So microsoft is going to do a 180 now?
---- Booth was a patriot ----
I finally figured out what's happening with these slashwhatever articles.
They've realized that since nobody reads TFA anyway, they can just post them and use the comments section to convince advertisers that slashwhatever is a worthwhile investment!
I can't believe I didn't see this before.
as "Microsoft-Built Smartphone Could Irradiate Hardware Partners, Harm Nokia"
I wasn't at all surprised...
No, it looks quite certain... to fail.
---- Booth was a patriot ----
Microsoft have already walked away from Nokia, and threw them under the bus with Windows 8, they are making no pretence that Nokia are old news, and if anything are flirtying with HTC. The fact that they will abandon both [I don't think Samsung will lose any sleep] is sadly predictable. LG is profitable again after dumping windows and moving to Android exclusively, maybe they learnt something :).
What is terrifying is Nokia ignoring the original stupidity of choosing windows...exclusively seem to have no back up plan, and are acting like they have no option. They have cut too many people, and moved manufacturing to china, and seem to be moving into the Patent trolling with Microsoft...but nothing else.
Looks like Android is going to grab even more market share before this sorry tale is over.
> While it may be a net loss for Nokia (they have no one but themselves to blame), it will be good for consumers. Consumers need a third ecosystem, especially since WebOS is dead and BB10 looks uncertain. From what I have read, it seems like Microsoft might try out Chinese market first before launching in USA
It does not work out like that... read about "Embrace, Extend, Extinguish". If History is any good as reference, M$ promotes a certain kind of consolidation that leaves markets with less choice -- usually making them the dominant player.
Anyone saying this will harm Nokia -- well, duh! People called us naysayers back then, now they go like "if only I knew it would end up this way..."
We told you so, ok?
And the third ecosystem, might as well be some of Linux, like Ubuntu or KDE-based software (Plasma Active)...
I understand the Surface, as many manufacturers had that dream of making The Next iPad Killer(tm) (which, incidentally, never seemed to materialized, until Amazon and Google stepped up, and even then, it's still all wobbly and transparent around the edges) but phones?
As of right now, the amount of handsets Windows Phone platform sends is small. So, while losing that tiny percentage might be irritating, I don't see how it would really anger partners. Aside from Nokia that was being systematically destroyed ever since Mr Elop arrived at the helm, everybody else keep WP products as a bottom drawer "if, for some unimaginable reason, it suddenly works out" back-up plan. Most money are in Android anyway.
So the only real negative consequence would be if MS decides to do another patent war, and everyone, even those who still have nominal WP models, would suddenly because a target. And even then, it'll turn into "how many extra fees do you have to force Android manufacturers to pay before users rebel".
Hyperom.com
I first read that headline as ... Smartphone Could IRRADIATE Hardware Partners ... Technically, they already do, but I figured some additional orders of magnitude were thrown in with a headline like that!
"Love heals scars love left." -- Henry Rollins
I think Microsoft is just too little, too late, too lazy to keep up and they won't have more than a minor impact. App developers would have to be working overtime to support it and I don't hear anything about that occurring.
I can't imagine anyone bragging about having a Microsoft branded phone.
They're just not cool.
It is nothing to do with being cool...although cool goes a long way. Microsoft always sold more on the desktop, even today Microsoft machines outnumber Apple machines 20:1. Its simply not a good OS, Android is only just 5 years old and has 75% of the market...Microsoft has 2%. The carriers don't like it...The customers don't want it.
The other device makers really can't complain here from what I see. MS is starting to make their own products because quite frankly, the products made by others have been mediocre at best. They have had many years to pick up their game but none of them have. MS really does owe them nothing and if MS can make a better device themselves then they most definitely should because the others quite clearly can't.
I find it very interesting that Software companies (Apple, Google, MS, Amazon) have all taken to hardware as well and served many companies who specialise only in hardware (and have many years experience) their asses on a plate. This is a perfect example of skills learnt in one area translating very elegantly into another.
Ryans Tutorials - A collection of technology tutorials.
Interesting comment from Taiwan maker Acer about Microsoft's going into hardware competition:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57545024-75/acer-warns-microsoft-that-hardware-is-like-hard-rice/
I like the phrase they used: "like eating hard rice"
Clearly, the hardware manufacturers who have been subservient to Microsoft are looking at a new reality and will have to decide what to support.
This may give them the motivation to move to Android for phones and tablets and ignore Microsoft's offerings.
I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
Microsoft always sold more on the desktop, even today Microsoft machines outnumber Apple machines 20:1
I daresay Apple machines outnumber Microsoft machines by a factor closer to infinity because there's no such thing as a Microsoft machine. Microsoft isn't - yet - a hardware manufacturer. If you're talking about operating-system-software licences then Microsoft peaked in 2004 with a Windows:Mac ratio of about 56:1. Now, if you include iOS as an operating system, the ratio has dropped to about 2:1.
See:
http://www.asymco.com/2012/07/04/the-building-and-dismantling-of-the-windows-advantage/
if you include iOS as an operating system, the ratio has dropped to about 2:1.
No not even close the number of Desktop PC's in the world is about 1.6Billion http://www.c-i-a.com/pr02012012.htm to pit that figure into some kind of perspective Apple only sold 26.9Million iPhones last quarter https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS23771812. Even Android which sells 5 times as many phones as the iphone is only expected to overtake PC's in 2016.
what other hardware has MS been successful with. None that I know off. They came in with XBox just in time to catch the Dreamcasts death now the the iPhone and Android juggernauts its not going to happen. Plus MS hardware seems to have the mom and dad in sweat pants image instead of the cool kid on the block.
by TheSpoom (715771) Uncaring Linux user here. I have nothing to add to this but please continue. *munches popcorn*
Samsung can always hire Jaedong. Jaedong is good with Scourge micro at taking out science vessels. As for Nokia, they are screwed. Science vessels take experience to counter, which Nokia does not have.
only expected to overtake PC's in 2016.
You say it takes 9 years of tablet sales to overtake 30 years of PC sales? You misuse the word "only".
There is probably a lot of "slack" in the Windows 8 phone pricing as well - if the Windows RT "OEM license fee" is 80-95$, the Phone OS OEM price can't be far off. I'm sure Nokia, HTC and Samsung won't mind if they've got to add an extra 80$ in cost for each phone they produce which Microsoft doesn't have to worry about..
Target still foot.
Apple will sue!
Have gnu, will travel.
Microsoft's "partners" have been directly competing with Microsoft for years using Linux and Android. HP was just made a card-carrying Linux foundation member. The only partner to be loyal to Microsoft is Nokia. If I were MS I would release a Surface phone but use Nokia to actually get it manufactured.
It's not like they have not done it before. They built OS2 for IBM then did a 180 and made a competing product in parallel called windows. The then turned their back on IBM when they where in a position to do so. OS2 was reduced to a cult following.
Many a long talk since then I have had with the man in the moon; he had my confidence on the voyage. Joshua Slocum
I am sure Microsoft's Eastern European partners think that they are. hahaha
Nokia can probably be had for relative peanuts now that their trojan Elop has done his best to [strike]wreck[/strike] stabilize the company, and that will also give them access to all the cross licensing agreements that are present in the telecoms market. As a bonus, I don't think Nokia have got into many lawsuits...
Donte Alistair Anderson Roberts - hi son!
Karma: Chameleon
Microsoft fucks over partner. News at... Seriously? If this comes unexpected to you, you must have joined /. - or, indeed, this plant - very recently. If I recall correctly, ever since Nokia got put in chains, the question asked here was not if, but when this would happen.
Lesson: If you get in bed with Microsoft, you are a whore. And whores get screwed.
Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
- Pete Peterson, former WordPerfect executive
echo '[q]sa[ln0=aln80~Psnlbx]16isb572CCB9AE9DB03273snlbxq' |dc
Microsoft stopped replying most Nokias emails and calls promptly or sometimes totally in February. I think at that time they decide that their Nokia partnership is not working. This is inside information from source that knew MS deal 2 days in advance.
Now Nokia has failed to get market share with WP phones. It XX$/handset deal with microsoft ends and microsoft starts making their own handsets.
Nokia has laid of most people it would need in implementing another tech strategy and has no money to do so.
I think they will close their handset district and end cross licensing agreements and start collecting money from their wast patent portfolio and keep their map functions.