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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Nokia Corporation (NYSE:NOK): Microsoft (MSFT) has an uphill task with Windows Phone 8


A review done recently, by David Pogue on the New York Times, of Nokia Corporation (ADR)(NYSE:NOK ) Lumia 920, HTC 8X and the common Windows Phone 8 operating system gives an enlightened view of why Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has been unsuccessful in everything apart from its bread-and-butter operating platform for computers.

While Windows hone 8 is the best version of its mobile operating system ever, it is not really picking up because of lack of awareness among users and consumers.

Pogue quotes a Microsoft manager as saying, "“We have an awareness problem.” Translation: Nobody is buying Windows phones. And since nobody’s buying them, nobody’s writing apps for them. And since nobody’s writing apps — well, you can see where this is going."

Apart from the awareness problem Microsoft this time has allied itself with companies such as Nokia and HTC, both of which are struggling companies.

Nokia, once the leading mobile phone maker, is lagging somewhere in the seventh place in the smartphones league tables. HTC is also finding it an uphill task selling its phones, which have fallen by 36 percent this year so far.

In his review Pogue observes that both the Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC 8X are 'awesome' in terms of bigger and sharper screens, clarity, comfort in handling, choice of colours, fast processors and faster Internet downloads.

On many counts though, the Nokia smartphone scores over the 8X.

"In category after category, Nokia’s Lumia 920 beats the HTC. In battery life (10 hours of talk time). In price ($100 versus $200). In storage (32 gigabytes versus 16). In Bluetooth version (3.1 versus 2.1). In screen sensitivity; in one mode, you can operate this touch screen even with gloves on."

However where the operating system fails (in both the phones) is in voice commands, which are very crude. Dictation is not an option while important applications are missing.

"Microsoft and its partners are teetering on the edge. Excellence has been attained; now it’s up to market forces."



10 comments:

  1. And PCs are dead. I wouldn't bet on one of your picks with your money. Microsoft has sold more then 40 million Windows 8 in less then a month. Nobody moves that much product. Nobody.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Clearly the marketplace has shown that moving product is not the only thing that matters. Microsoft is hemorrhaging die hard customers like myself. But more importantly, the kids all want Apple. Over the past year I have watched virtually every kid I know with a smartphone toss it in the bin and beg for an iPhone. What kid asks for any tablet other than an iPad? Answer: the rare oddball.

      Remarks like yours were commonplace a few years back when Nokia "moved that much product". Look at them now.

      Delete
  2. To those who are wondering...
    I'm wondering if there be a support for 32-bit and/or 64-bit version of windows 8 for the mobile phones? Since I got 64-bit laptop, 64-bit windows server, xbox, and gonna get the surface 8 pro with a 64-bit windows then wouldn't that make more logical sense to build phones for this 32/64 bit architecture. For this "integration" it would make mobile storage so much easier to transfer and carry photos, videos, pdf, office files, plus many more without have to convert them. Also, a lot of programs are built for 32/64-bit, I wouldn't want to rebuild programs for something that isn't quite compatible or not gonna take off. I find it a waste of time.
    Bottom line: I would buy windows 8 phones if it came with 32/64-bit support.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All the files you listed don't care what architecture of processor you're using. I think Microsoft has already provided most of what you're asking for. This is part of that awareness problem the article talks about. MS is offering windows to OEMs compiled in both x86_64 and ARM architectures. All thethe MS compilers these days will build for both as well. The trouble is getting win app developers to utilize user interfaces that work for keyboard-less and mouse-less devices. So come on Microsoft... entice us.

      Delete
    2. Thanks for clearing that up.
      In other words be patient and keep developing :-)
      I figured that those compilers are written to support both of those architectures. Simply said those current popular software just needs to be re-written to support both (32/64 and ARM).
      I also think that those popular programs should be integrated to Microsoft store as well for ease of use.
      One more thing..
      When you buy programs from the MS store can it be installed on multiple machines for that same Microsoft account like we see in apple app store?

      Delete
  3. windows phone 8 is selling 4 times as much as windows phone was selling last year, so that's close to %10 marketshare, that's pretty massive growth. And now that Windows 8 and Windows Phone share the same API,its only going to get bigger and bigger. It won't happen overnight,but all the stars are aligning.

    ReplyDelete
  4. So why do I need a postgraduate degree in software science to sync my Lumia with the contacts and diary entries in my PC's Microsoft Outlook? (Which I still haven't managed to do despite an afternoon wasted live online with the Nokia "support" team.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just add the same Exchange account that Outlook uses to your Lumia. Job done.

      Delete
  5. Fashions go just as quickly as they arrive. Apple wont stop Windows Phone succeeeding - it will be the next big thing in mobile. It might take a while, but it will happen.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sometimes things do go full circle. Remember when Apple wasn't dominant and Microsoft was? Microsoft has deep pockets along with the knowledge and skill necessary to recapture market share. Apple won't be "cool" forever, especially as people realize the Windows phone is going to be huge.

    Kids right now want the iPhone because they are followers. What will happen if the cool kids of the future have Windows phones?

    ReplyDelete


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