Taking in everything I’ve mentioned so far, it may come as no surprise how hard Microsoft is working on their mobile products as to turn around this corporate only image and attract new customers as opposed to merely enticing current customers to stay. One interesting statement by Microsoft’s Zune division executive, Brian Seitz, highlighted one very frustrating example of the problems facing Microsoft from within:
…Microsoft’s Windows Mobile division “is tackling the challenge of a mobile apps marketplace right now,” and Microsoft is “trying to get out of the business of building similar things in the company that don’t work together.”
Cutting through the PR fluff the real meaning is pretty disheartening — We want to build a Zune app store but the Windows Mobile app store is taking all of our/their time. Furthermore, we can’t have two app stores for two different platforms.
Obviously this isn’t ideal. There is only one real solution as I see it. Either make Windows Mobile a hulleva lot better than it is, which given the fact they have failed time and time again at doing that over the last several years, the second option is really the only option.
Take the Zune OS and add a little and refine it further while also adding in the necessary components to port it to Windows Mobile devices. The Zune OS looks beautiful, navigation is intuitive and easy. Not to mention, it’s exponentially closer to being suited for touchscreen input than WinMo 6.5 or 7 (based on screenshots of extremely early WinMo 7 builds.) The music playing aspect of the Zune is awesome. That is one of the first big draws to any portable device these days: music/video/photos. In essence, multimedia is key. Windows Mobile isn’t so great with the multimedia side of things. The music/photo/video player/viewer is in dire needs of a facelift. If Microsoft could tweak the Zune OS to encapsulate an entire mobile environment, they could actually have a chance. Sadly, putting my mind back in to reality, dreams and wishes aside of such a transformation are just as far fetched.
Not only would migrating to a Zune type of interface for Windows Mobile cost significantly more time and money, many old school business users and corporations alike would feel completely alienated and uncomfortable with the new interface. Even though Microsoft really needs to make itself look “cool” and innovative in the eye of young beholders, they can’t completely cut off legacy users cold turkey. Instead, offer a sort of “theme/layout” option like what exists in Windows (at least XP). Give users an option to toggle between a new, Zune type layout as well as giving those stickler legacy users a choice of a classic layout thereby pleasing both groups.
The current path Microsoft is on is a long, endless path of disappointment and shame. They are shooting their biggest hope, their biggest chance at a legitimate mobile contender in the foot. Will they ever realize their predicament and change course? Can they accept the multi-year failure that Windows Mobile has been and the continuing decline it will bring?
Source: Alley Insider, Apple Insider, Image Source, Thumbnail Image Source
