After years of living within the confines of the Microsoft Windows Phone ecosystem I just made a change and bought My First iPhone.
This is not a slight to Microsoft. As a denizen of Seattle I want the home team to continue winning. I will continue to use and recommend using Microsoft products for productivity. Microsoft has been a part of my work for over 20 years now and I think Microsoft is well positioned for the next 20.
I decided to make a change personally so that I can continue to be productive. Which will still include a lot of Microsoft Apps on my iPhone. I’m really looking forward to Shake to Undo / Restore and Voice-to-Text across all apps.
Here is the story of My First iPhone – AT&T blew it, but T-Mobile and Apple won.
Back Story
Starting in 1999 when I joined Microsoft I had a T-Mobile Dash. It was a great device. Much smaller that what we call Smart Phones today. Btw --- I still have it.
Over the years I went thru several iterations of Windows powered mobile devices – from Windows Mobile 5.5 thru 6 and 7 and 8 and 8.1. I was keen to use Windows 10 devices. But, the hardware was a bit lackluster with the 950XL and the price point was way out of scope.
My favorite by far was the Lumia 1020 – great camera! When I dropped it about a year ago I switched to the Lumia 1520 … it had a decent, but not great camera.
Mind the App Gap
And, of course, as with all Windows Phone’s there is a significant App Gap. Even the apps that are still running on Windows Phone they are being deprecated and only semi-continuously upgraded. I’m not a huge app user, but the apps I do use I need them to work consistently, predictably and repeatably.
Where is Microsoft Going?
I’ve written multiple odes to the Windows Phone (see below). It seems they fell on deaf ears. I’m OK with that and with Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella’s “Embrace Everything” mentality I don’t think Microsoft is all that concerned with people using “alternative” devices.
New thinking on “alternate devices” … which used to be called the dark side. Now I think Microsoft realizes that devices are just tools to get people using Microsoft cloud services. Which is why Microsoft has acquired several companies that have built apps for Android and iOS. It’s why some of the best apps from Microsoft work better on non-Windows Phone powered devices.
This is part of the master strategy. Microsoft is in the middle of another “Internet Tidal Wave” moment.
Which is a classic, if you can’t beat ‘em … Tilt the Tables moment. A very smart move on the part of Microsoft. Well Played!
I do expect Microsoft to come out swinging for the enterprise customers.
A few of my ode’s to the Windows Phone about my experiences and suggestions to the team. I’m still up for helping ScottGu, Gugg’s, Panos and any other execx at Microsoft that want a customer and partner perspective.
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My Experience Using a Microsoft Windows Phone
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Round 2 --- in My Experience Using a Microsoft Windows Phone
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Keeping Microsoft in the Mobile Game (Talking about Dual Boot with Google)
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Come Together ... Microsoft Surface and Windows Phone (Rationalized App Ecosystems can only help)
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From Windows Camera to Windows Phone?
The New Target --- Enterprise Customers
Microsoft will be back in the mobile space soon. I suspect and predict that the Surface Mini and Surface Phone will make a run at the enterprise customers. Continuum was an interesting start. The hardware needs to come a little farther along to make it more of a reality, but it’s getting there.
Some day … in the not too distant future … we will have one device. That device will continue to get smaller and smaller and increasingly more powerful. That’s the future … we aren’t there yet.
A Likely Next Step
Most recently I posted about the probable future for Windows Mobile (upper case M) here: Is this the Microsoft Surface Mini? and this post about mMobile from mMicrosoft where I looked at the Microsoft plays for lower case mobile and Upper Case Mobile plans.
That’s My Story
And, I’m sticking to it. Your mileage may vary.
I still Want to Believe. And I will still look to Microsoft for innovation … whether it’s organic or through acquisition. I give Microsoft credit for realizing everything DOES NOT need to come from within the walls of the MotherShip. That’s a bit of a shift with the new CEO in place. I expect it to continue.
Will I look to Microsoft for future mobile devices? Of course. I want the home team to win.
Tweet him @jshuey or connect on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Google+ He is active in the Microsoft Partner Community and is the co-founder and President of the IAMCP Seattle chapter.
He is a contributing author to Entrepreneur, Elite Daily, Yahoo, US News and to the Personal Branding Blog
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