Microsoft isn't going out to reinvent the wheel, and if anything, it's basically copying what Apple has already created with the iPhone OS and the App Store. Microsoft will offer their own app store and applications. However, Windows Mobile 7 isn't tied to a single phone, unlike the Apple App Store. When you think about the fact that Nokia, Samsung and LG will likely have phones running Windows Mobile 7, all of a sudden Apple has quite a bit of competition for their once unbeatable app store.
One of the most successful aspects of the Apple app store has been games. Microsoft has the potential to really outdo Apple in this regard. Microsoft will tie in their Xbox360 with Windows Mobile 7 and create games that can be played in the home and also on the go. They also have experience in creating games and a platform to make game developing easier. I can forsee the Microsoft app store being a better haven for gaming than the Apple app store.
In the end, Apple's head start in the market might be too much for Microsoft to catch up, but that won't stop it from taking a chunk out of Apple's market. Healthy competition is always beneficial to us, and who knows, maybe it will help Apple realize things like how stupid it is that the iPhone OS doesn't support Flash.
One of the most successful aspects of the Apple app store has been games. Microsoft has the potential to really outdo Apple in this regard. Microsoft will tie in their Xbox360 with Windows Mobile 7 and create games that can be played in the home and also on the go. They also have experience in creating games and a platform to make game developing easier. I can forsee the Microsoft app store being a better haven for gaming than the Apple app store.
In the end, Apple's head start in the market might be too much for Microsoft to catch up, but that won't stop it from taking a chunk out of Apple's market. Healthy competition is always beneficial to us, and who knows, maybe it will help Apple realize things like how stupid it is that the iPhone OS doesn't support Flash.
Apple is taking a quintessentially steve-ish approach to technology - that is: you don't need it.
ReplyDeleteFor a company that in the days of the G3 powerbook was on the bleeding edge of technology, Apple has dropped to an almost shameful level of patronizing it's customers. Whenever question about a feature that one of their devices does not support, they habitually riposte with a "but who /really/ needs that anyway".
If the question was asked, there is a market for it. Look how long it took them to get BASIC functionality such as 3rd party app support, 3G radio and copy and paste. This is because as the sole distributor of the hardware, Apple can monetize the crap out of devices by handicapping them, and releasing incremental updates touted as features.
The hope of the Windows Phone is the hope of the PC. There will be a device for everyone. Need a higher resolution screen? got it. Better camera? sure! Don't know what the heck a compass is doing in a phone? You'll find a cheaper model without one, etc.
Microsoft is trying to hit the sweet spot between Apple and Google - between totalitarian product/service/distribution control and anti-evil open source. This is a pretty big deal.