Skepticism Mounts Regarding Microsoft’s Mobile Platform

I really hate to contribute to the mounting skepticism regarding whether Windows Phone 7 has a chance, because at a certain point it can become self-fulfilling. On the other hand, you as consumers need to make choices, so it’s important to be open about the issues. And those issues are: Will developers be motivated to create apps? Will manufacturers make the phones? And, Will Microsoft maintain a steadfast commitment to the mobile platform?

Prospects for Developers Jumping on Board Windows Phone 7

To its credit, Microsoft had the courage to make a clean break with the Windows Mobile platform, which wasn’t suited to the emerging conventions of easy-to-use, touch-friendly smartphones.

But making a clean break means that your old software won’t work on Windows Phone 7 and that developers have to completely rewrite their apps for the new platform. Whether they will be motivated to do so is the big question, given the way that the Android and iPhone platforms are surging.

Even if some developers do come aboard, will Windows Phone 7 ever attract enough to have an app store that will compete with the 250,000 apps in Apple’s App Store, or the 60,000 available for Android?

Ashlee Vance, writing in the New York Times, is doubtful. She says that Microsoft’s culture, technology, and developer support are simply not relevant to the young developers in the startup shops that Microsoft needs to build out its offering. They’re more attuned to open platforms, such as the Android environment. She quotes publisher Tim O’Reilly as saying, “Microsoft is totally off the radar of the cool, hip, cutting-edge software developers.”

Tom Bradley of PCWorld says that Microsoft is simply too late with Windows Phone 7 and suggests that Microsoft cut its losses and focus on developing apps for other platforms and insuring that these platforms integrate with their widely used Microsoft Exchange.

Will Manufacturers Commit to Making Windows Phone 7 Devices?

Some people are also wondering whether the manufacturers will commit to the platform. HTC has been the major manufacturer in recent years, but most of the prototypes so far seem to be from other makers. Nevertheless, HTC’s manager of PR recently restated HTC’s commitment to Windows Phone, saying that they’ll be there on day one. You can read more on PocketLint. And Windows Phone Thoughts has reported a rumored device coming in November from HTC.

Microsoft’s Commitment to Mobile Devices

Certainly the death of Microsoft’s Kin phones, announced in late June, raised questions about the future of Microsoft’s commitment to mobile devices. With the departure of designer J Allard and the imminent retirement of consumer division head Robbie Bach, the heads of the consumer division will report directly to CEO Steve Ballmer, who has been criticized for not being in touch with market trends, according to the article in the New York Times.

Certainly the death of the Kin phones raised a lot of questions about Microsoft’s direction. eWeek has a great article telling the whole story. And the Mini-Microsoft blog has some of the inside scoop, including statements from former members of the team the developed the Kin.

But for now, Microsoft seems intent on focusing its energies on Windows Phone 7 and a successful launch of what appears to be a strong platform. And one shouldn’t underestimate them.