GigaOM: Hey Microsoft, Forget MIX, Focus on Mobiles

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://gigaom.com/2007/05/02/mobiles-not-mix-microsoft/' target='_blank'>http://gigaom.com/2007/05/02/mobile...-mix-microsoft/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"It is hardly a surprise that the more en vogue and exotic MIX ‘07 is overshadowing a strategically more important event hosted by Microsoft - the 2007 Mobile and Embedded Devices Conference also being held in Las Vegas. Given that mobiles are supposedly the platform for the next billion - aka a market Microsoft has to play in - it is a surprise that Microsoft and its vast press corps failed to send us a single alert about this conference, and instead chose to spend all their attention (and some serious dollars) on MIX 07. Such apathy is contrary to the progress Microsoft has made with Windows Mobile, which is one of the two future platforms of growth for the company. (Xbox is the other.) ... While it is unlikely that I would switch to Windows Mobile anytime soon, I have seen how some friends of mine like the platform. In fast growing mobile societies like India and China, Windows Mobile devices are popular despite their high price tag. Many use Windows Mobile (and other phones) for what we view as computing tasks in the US. It is their computer. Microsoft has to work hard with device makers to bring the prices down to $100-a-pop range, and see its market share zoom. Microsoft’s relevance (and more importantly future profits) in these new mobile societies are going to come from mobiles, not PCs."</i><br /><br />I can't do better than what Kris Kumar from sister site Smartphone Thoughts said:<br /><br />"Om Malik has written a thought provoking article, which I am sure our readers will agree with. While Windows Mobile based smartphones have come a long way, it is still not a household name. My Dash is always mistaken for a BlackBerry! My Dash can play videos, it is a phone and it can surf the Net. It can do much more than that, and it is available in stores now. Yet, I don't hear about thousands of people saving their hard-earned money for one. In a market that is crowded with phones, it is tough to make an impact. And Microsoft has made a lot of progress in this tough market. Microsoft has painstakingly (we have also shared it) improved the software over the years, and has worked with its partners to improve the form-factor. <br /><br />While it is good to see Microsoft involved in improving the technology aspect, it is sad to see it sit quiet and not publicize their next bread-winner. Intel became a household name after its famous "Intel Inside" campaign, prior to the campaign the consumers never cared about the processor brand in their PCs. Similarly Windows Mobile is being used by phone manufacturers to deliver awesome handsets, yet no one has heard about it. How come Microsoft is not running its own advertisements? Why is it relying on the carriers and manufacturers to put out the advertisements? Which by the way end up promoting everything except Windows Mobile. So Microsoft, get mobile and focus on mobiles!"

[Paragon]

it is sad to see it sit quiet and not publicize their next bread-winner. .......................... How come Microsoft is not running its own advertisements? Why is it relying on the carriers and manufacturers to put out the advertisements? Which by the way end up promoting everything except Windows Mobile. So Microsoft, get mobile and focus on mobiles!"

AARRRGGGGG!

This has always bothered me. At times, as an evangelist and one time MVP for this paltform, I feel that a lot of the time it is folks like us who do the most for the platform.

I was recently in a meeting with someone at the executive level of a company who are a supplier of WM devices here in North America, and it was very obvious that he felt that Microsoft was soft on Windows Mobile. I told him I didn't blame him for feeling that way. Here in Canada there are very few people with MS who are involved with the platform. When I was an MVP there was one person as a contact within MS for mobile devices, and that position saw three people in five years. There is zip for marketing. Go into any cellphone store in Canada and say you want a data device. They have one single response...Blackberry. There is so little done to pump up the sales people, whether they are selling at the retail level, or enterprise.

There is so much MS could do on a very reasonable budget, but they just don't seem to do it. The real problem is that there is no one putting it all together. RIM has been very successful here because everything is in one house. With Windows Mobile there are three main spokes, Microsoft, manufacturers, and carriers. Each feels it is the others responsibility to do the heavy lifting when it comes to promoting the platform. There needs to be someone with a big stick who brings those three elements together in a coordinated effort to get the word out.

Attitudes ALWAYS come from the top down. If the top is seen as not being as committed to the platform as it could be, it's a given that attitude will drift right on down the line.

I think this could be a pivotal year for Windows Mobile. It has made huge progress in the past couple of years. This could very easily be the year it blows the doors wide open, but in order to do that MS has to step up and prove they WANT to be world leaders in mobility....not just say it.

Dave

[Gen-M]

And what is the relationship between Windows Mobile and Mobile Windows (UMPC)? The two play well together - it is certainly not a "one or the other" situation - but there has been no clear marketing statement of positioning (this is not a technical issue!).

Microsoft reminds me of the old Digital Equipment Corp. - great products, but a total inability to explain them to people.

[Paragon]

And what is the relationship between Windows Mobile and Mobile Windows (UMPC)? The two play well together - it is certainly not a "one or the other" situation - but there has been no clear marketing statement of positioning (this is not a technical issue!).

I don't think Microsoft knows. I think, they like everyone know that mobility is big, and only going to get bigger, but I don't think MS really knows what mobility is going to look like, and are afraid to make to strong, or lenghty, commitment to any one platform only to see it change in a year or two. Obviously they are committed to Windoes Mobile, but you can't help feeling they aren't married to it.....Great person to date, as long as they can keep other options open, but a long term monogamous relationship.......;)