Honestly, I’m not surprised. In the mobile market, Microsoft has proven over the years that it doesn’t know what customers want.
No mobile comeback for Microsoft
Honestly, I’m not surprised. In the mobile market, Microsoft has proven over the years that it doesn’t know what customers want.
I honestly hope this changes. I really want to see Microsoft become a serious competitor as it will only push Apple and Google.
I also really like their ecosystem and consistency across all of their devices (same experience from phone -> tablet -> computer/laptop).
I find their consistency comes at a high price. Personally, I find many aspects of their applications and operating systems to be extremely frustrating. I’ve never been reduced to screaming at Steve Jobs (when he was with us) while working on Apple products the way I have been reduced to screaming at Bill Gates while working on MS devices/applications. Guess, each to their own…
I once randomly discovered a blog by the creator of something called “Ultra Mobile PC.” This was apparently a shrunk version of XP, designed to fit on a 6 inch screen. It had a touchscreen. That had to be used with a stylus. Right. It was a Microsoft product, of course. This product had been prototyped before the iPad.
None of the above is shocking. Here’s the shocker. This man had devoted an entire blog post criticizing the iPad name, and comparing it to a feminine hygiene product.
When I was just out of college a decade and a half ago, there was this myth that Microsoft only hired the cream of the cream from the cream of the cream universities?
This is that cream?
Needless to say, the Ultra Mobile PC (or UMPC as that man liked to refer to it in his blog) was a complete flop. It had a start button in the left bottom corner, for goodness sake. One that had to be touched with a stylus. This was innovation? This was an achievement?
This man, who named a product UMPC, thought he could make fun of a name like iPad?
For years it was easy to lay the blame for Microsoft’s decline on it’s internal weaknesses.
But today I’m coming around to a different viewpoint. It wasn’t just the people on the inside. It may have had more to do with the people on the outside. Bloggers like Paul Thurrott and Rob Enderle who cheer-led every retrograde, ham-fisted “innovation” that emanated from Microsoft. Rob Enderle once had an article that claimed that some of the people who worked at top levels of Microsoft may have actually been a fifth column working for Apple. When I read some of the diarrhoea spewing from Enderle’s mind, I have to wonder if he might really be that fifth column.
Paul Thurrott recently wrote that Windows 8 is Apple’s fault.
Paul, if you’re reading this, Microsoft’s irreversible decline is your fault.
The answer is that Microsoft’s products are simply not good enough. Windows 8 on phones and desktops has been a failure – customers don’t want it.
For all the praise the hipster bloggers give Metro for being innovative and unique, it’s an ugly and difficult to use UI. Garsih colors on huge flat surfaces with minimalist text and vague icons that’re indistinguishable from eachother, combined with obscure gestures. It’s not a good OS. Normal people hate it.
The question for me is how long does Microsoft continue to push Metro before they scrap it and come up with a new design. Or will they stay the course while their marketshare continues to decline?
I don’t disagree with the spirit of your post I just disagree that Microsoft should be the serious competitor. They have tried time and time again. It’s come to the point where my cheering arms are becoming to tired. I think even Steve Balmer would agree, not in public of course, but maybe as a huffing sweaty mess on the floor. No mas.
I feel you.
I disagree a bit. I don’t think the issue is that they don’t know what customers. I think they do. And they try to satisfy every customer at the same time and fail because the wants and needs are so diverse.
Compare this to Apple who picked a section of that diversity to focus on, with just enough wiggle room for other folks to adjust towards their needs
You know what…that’s a very smart point. This is one area I LOVE: Apple’s focus. They can really hone in on a segment of users, live there, laser focus, and truly build well rounded/quality products.