4/18/2021 0 Comments Microsoft Windows Phones Unlocked
As a hardware and OS challenger to Android and iOS devices, theres much at stake as Redmond roars ahead.Now, in the weeks and months before Redmond releases its first Microsoft-branded smartphone from its Nokia buy, the company faces an entirely new challenge: becoming a phone-maker which controls the entire experience much like rival Apple does, from soup to nuts.
While I doubt much will change for the Lumia line in the near future, plenty about Windows Phones long-term growth and development is up in the air. Partnerships with other phone-makers have dried up, the Android-based Nokia X family throws a question mark over Microsofts vision, and it isnt clear how Microsoft will translate Windows Phone to a smart watch. Nokias legacy as a quality hardware-maker hangs in the balance. Sustain Nokias spirit versus starting something new For the past few years, Nokia has been nearly synonymous with the Lumia line, but before that, the company was one of the most influential in cell phone history. True, its been a long time since Nokia dominated the cell phone world with its sturdy candy bar designs, but its legacy of distinctive design and strong image quality is one that Microsoft will decide to either continue or mutate. Right now we know that Microsoft is hanging on to former Nokia designers in Finland, but we dont know much about their autonomy, their marching orders, or if there will be any significant job cuts. In theory the transition from Nokia-made phones to Microsoft-made phones should be relatively smooth, since former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop (who worked at Microsoft before hopping over to Finland) is back as EVP of Redmonds Devices Group, which also includes the Xbox and Surface tablets. Microsoft Windows Phones Unlocked Software Teams WillIts just too soon to see where Elop will take Microsofts phone business, how closely the hardware and software teams will be able to work, and if handsets will continue to look like todays Lumia phones, or will take on an aesthetic more akin to Microsofts tablets or gaming console. Juggling hardware and software isnt easy Being an all-in-one phone shop makes Microsoft the only other public company right now attempting to design both hardware and software products, apart from Apple. Palm, BlackBerry, and Nokia (in its pre-Windows Phone days) all failed, crippled by updates that were often too slow in coming, too specs-poor, too expensive, or all three. Windows Phone share by market, according to Kantar WorldPanel. Throughout the years, Microsoft has taken a supporting role with carriers and retailers to help market and sell phones. Its been more hands-on throwing resources behind the Lumia models, but this could be a tougher negotiation for a company that isnt practiced at dealing directly with network operators. Where does Nokia X fit in The bizarre Nokia X family of phones and software platform is another challenge area for Microsoft, mostly because the company has to figure out whether to hold it or fold it. Built by Nokia on the Android Open Source Project code, the custom Nokia X Software platform represents a mixture of Android-approved apps, Microsoft services, and the simple Nokia Asha look and feel. There are peripheral benefits for Microsoft if Nokia X makes inroads, mainly signing more people on to Microsoft-owned services like Skype, OneDrive cloud storage, and Bing. Im still not sure what to make of the whole Nokia X bundle, but for my money, I say Microsoft should scrap the hybrid experiment and re-task Nokia Xs budget and developers (who operate apart from the Windows Phone group, by the way) to work on the core Windows Phone code. Smartwatch: A risky gamble Microsoft has to take Despite the fact that smartwatches are still super-niche add-ons that people just arent buying in droves, Microsoft will have to build and sell a smartwatch if it wants to keep up with the times. The latest rumor describes a Microsoft-made band that works more like an LED-powered Nike FuelBand than like a Samsung, LG, or Pebble watch with an LCD or AMOLED display. If true, a lower-tech smart band is a risky approach when positioned against comparatively sophisticated watch faces with more advanced second-screen capabilities.
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