It hasn't been an easy road for Microsoft, but the one piece of credit you absolutely have to give them is that they've done their best with what's been put in front of them. More accurately, they saw the giant mountain that was before them that is the mobile market, a market that they had all but dropped off from before the unveiling of Windows Phone, and they tackled it. Sure, they used their Microsoft tactics, but it worked for them. They succeeded in becoming the third mobile operating system, something that a lot of people thought just wouldn't happen.
But it did. Sure, you have to give credit to Nokia, too, for essentially being the workhorse in this reality, because we all know that if it weren't for Nokia, Microsoft would not have been able to achieve that particular goal. Or maybe any goal, for that matter. Windows Phone is certainly one of the best mobile operating systems available, and it has its own strengths, but Nokia made the devices people wanted to buy. It was a great partnership.
And then it ended, when Microsoft decided that they wanted to bring Nokia's Devices & Services division into their own fold. With Microsoft working so hard on making the Surface brand so prominent in the tablet/PC space, it makes sense that they'd want to start diving into the smartphone race, too. There are a lot of people out there who want a Surface phone. And I honestly believe that a Surface phone is something that Microsoft wants to release.
Today, we saw that Microsoft is making some major changes, including layoffs and axing operating systems from devices. A lot is happening with Microsoft right now, and there's a lot of talk about the company. About what they should do next, and the reaction from folks regarding switching some Nokia X models over to Windows Phone. It all makes perfect sense, of course, considering there's a lot to talk about.
For me, it's good news for Windows Phone. Not only has Microsoft said that they're going to put a bigger focus on their mobile platform, but they're also actively removing Android from some devices and replacing it with their own OS. (The bad news here is that some devices are just going to stop getting support altogether, and that's always a sad day.)
Windows Phone needs Microsoft's utmost attention if they want it to go anywhere. It needs more high-end devices. It needs to grab the attention from consumers just like Google and Apple can. And there's no real reason that Windows Phone can't do that. Not anymore. They have apps (even if there is still room for improvement), they've got the hardware to compete with the best high-end Android-based devices, and their software is now basically on a level playing field with the competition.
Microsoft has come a long way with Windows Phone, and there is obviously still room to grow, but the company needs to continue to push Windows Phone. I've honestly felt, as of late, that Windows Phone has kind of fallen to the back burner, only getting random mentions in passing. Yes, Windows Phone 8.1 stroked the fire a bit, but since then? Quiet. Well, until you start announcing major shifts in your corporation, that is.
It's due time for Microsoft to double down on Windows Phone, and I'm glad it's apparently finally happening. But, are you? Or should Microsoft do what so many people think they should, and just jump on the Android train? Let me know!
