In a statement clearly aimed at Apple today, Microsoft Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie (Bill Gates’ successor) dismissed the idea that apps will be the determining factor for mobile platforms. Says Ozzie, “All the apps that count will be ported to every one of them. It’s a completely different situation from the PC market, where software’s built to run on a Windows or a Mac.” He goes on to say that mobile apps don’t require much development, which makes them easy to migrate across platforms.
But of course, I’m sure Apple and its legion of iPhone fans would disagree. There is a considerably degree of self-delusion here. Microsoft is currently saddled with a limp mobile platform, and it won’t be until the end of 2010 that we will see Windows Mobile 7, where they’ll have another shot at competing with the iPhone, Android, and Palm.
I’m not going to pretend that all of the 100,000+ iPhone apps are worth your time, but it does mean that there are significantly more good apps on Apple’s platform than any other. Ozzie is right to an extent–we’re already seeing popular iPhone apps ported to Android, after all–but his comments seemed a bit too defensive for someone who should be talking about how Microsoft will fix their own mobile issues.
[Source: Venturebeat]
November 18th, 2009 at 3:44 am
They’re just bitter that they’ve been left behind by Apple and Google. Microsoft has been falling behind for years, issuing absurd proclamations like this does’t make them true.
November 18th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
How absurd. The fact is Microsoft has had Windows CE, Mobile 5, Smart Phone, Mobile 6, 6.5, and if it every happens 7. The platform is garbage. I was a Loyal user of WinMo for over 6 years, and have moved to the iPhone, not because it is so much better (all be it is), but because Windows Mobile can not offer me any better solution. Even with Stock Firmware and WinMo the phone was lethargic and would need power cycling on a weekly basis. The problem with WinMo is split OS’s, Smartphone and WinMobile. Just make one OS, make it good, stop splitting your research dollars between the two. Develop a single location for application download/purchase, have at least some standards on how the application is written. At that point WinMo might have a fighting chance. As for me, iPhone is now my platform, after YEARS of WinMo. Life moves on, technology moves on, Microsoft rests on its laurels. The fact that WinMo7 is coming out is a joke, MS should have told the Developers, Have WinMo 7 Ready by the Launch of Win7 or you are all fired. We didnt spend billions on advertising to miss the chance to promote the entire 7 Platform. But again, epic fail.
Maybe next time…right? iPhone=Linux, Google=Linux, Linux is the biggest winner here. Just the way live is moving. Opensource and cheap or free.
November 18th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
There are many ways i see people convincing their acts.hmm…however, the more developed a product is the more it is used at though there are some limitations and the product shouldnt lose its originality like i said, iphone is primarily meant to be a phone, apart from that, gaming, videos, web and others can be enjoyed in it
November 19th, 2009 at 12:35 am
@Smitty and GGI: Agreed. It’s a shame too. They were way ahead of most companies when it came to mobile platforms, but their biggest problem was a failure of imagination. Even now WinMo is stuck in a productivity/office-oriented mode, whereas the iPhone, Android, and Palm OS are aiming at being more consumer friendly. Even Blackberry is getting the picture with this!