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iTech Dunya is a technology blog that specializes in tech-related topics.Our GOAL is to produce high-quality content for our millions of readers.
Windows Phones: A Strategic Statement
I have been a big fan and supporter of Windows Phones for over 3 years now. Not withstanding the perceived "app-gap", which to my mind is more hype than reality for most users (not counting nerdy tech-bloggers as representative of the general population), Windows phones were more usable than Android mish-mash that I tried for almost 3 years and more attractive than the dead-fish iPhone interface I am using for the last 1.5 years.

However between Nokia, Nokia as part of MSFT and then MSFT itself, Windows phones seemed to have lacked a clear executable strategy and the efforts seemed like "throw everything and the kitchen sink at the market and see what sticks" approach.

So, here's my unsolicited, unpaid 2 cents of strategy opinion.

Following the announcement of 3 categories of Lumia Windows 10 phones, MSFT should use a 5 prong strategy -

1. High End Phones - Target the enterprise crowd. Give it free to key CIOs and CEOs of any and all Fortune 500 companies. If I was in MSFT strategy team, I would make a list of all Enterprise customers with more than 5000 Windows licenses and send a sales/ marketing team to each customers IT heads and try to convert them to Windows smartphone environment. Offer "free" smartphone upgrades through enterprise Windows upgrade programs. Offer discounted docks and keyboards to lure in BYOD crowds and enterprise MS-Office users. Set a hard target of converting 100 Enterprise customers by end of 2017 and go after it.

2. Middle Tier Phones - Target the Students and young professionals. Advertise like crazy through all the cool channels - position the new phones as the NEW MUST HAVE for the younger generation - attractive back to school accessories, designer headphones and docks/ keyboards for Students and Young Professionals - get the buzz going - hire the best advertising/ marketing teams to push the message that this is the best phone for - X, Y and Z activities that the new generation is excited about.

3. Low End Phones - Target pre-paid customers and urban low-income families. Offer the phones with added benefits (free Office for a Windows machine if they keep using the phone). Emphasis on Latino and African-American communities. Make a partnership with Walmart if needed.

4. Other partners - Leave the family/ middle class moms-dads market and small business owners market segments open for key partners. HTC is in trouble selling Android phones. See if they can be incentivized to sell Windows Phones to key market segments. Same for Samsung or LG. Offer them specific EXCLUSIVE deals - maybe small business owners market segment for HTC? Middle class family market segment for Samsung/ LG? Again help them develop specific hardware unique to their Windows Phones. Offer unique Sync features for Samsung Laptops? Help LG with IoT device management through their unique Windows Phones? Help the partners differentiate among themselves and from their Android counterparts.

5. Unique Hardware and Software Value Proposition - Again to emphasize on this, MSFT needs to identify customer needs and interests of various target segments and develop unique Hardware and Software features to answer those needs/ interests. Create various "classes" of phones with clear advantages and value propositions - including through partner companies that address specific market segments. And keep doing it year over year with visible improvements. AND publicize this through marketing, co-marketing and attractive advertisements. Not rocket science, but smartphone science for sure.



At this point, Windows phone can only survive through market adoption, which can only happen by clear strategic differentiation and value proposition for distinct market segments.

Anirban Chatterjee, PhD MBA
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iTech Dunya is a technology blog that specializes in tech-related topics.Our GOAL is to produce high-quality content for our millions of readers.

Windows Phone dead or alive?

Windows Phone dead or alive?

The above image shows the unified Windows operating system for PC's, Xbox and Windows Phone.

Despite a July 29 release date for Windows 10, most of us didn't read the fine print, if there was any.  The release on the PC seems sketchy.  You have to sign up to reserve a copy and then wait to be notified when it is ready.  These are digital products not something you run out of!  And if they're worried about bandwidth, there must have been sometime late night or early morning when they could have downloaded it to my laptop.

For Windows 10 Mobile we found out, we will have to wait until later in the year -- possibly as late as mid November according to some analysts.  I understand the Xbox version has also been delayed similarly.

Meanwhile our Windows Phone games were migrated from the old Windows Phone 8 store to create dummy listings in the Windows 10 phone store.  The descriptions say "requires Windows 10".  We have several new games that have already been released on iOS and Android, but due to the current state of limbo we are unsure if we should attempt to place them in the Widows Phone Store.  If we make a Windows 10 game, can those that still have Windows 8 or 8.1 on their Windows Phones (almost everyone except developers) still download it?  Or would they have to wait until Windows 10 Mobile is released.

Furthermore the average game player doesn't understand that just because Microsoft says one version will play on PC, Xbox and phone, doesn't mean it will know how to take advantages of the special features of each, or worse rely on some feature that is missing on one or more.

When we and other developers complained that there weren't enough customers with Windows Phones to make it worthwhile to spend the time it takes to submit the game.  And this is assuming that the developer used Unity or some similar multi-platform engine so that they can easily export builds for the various devices.  Our problem has not been PC and Xbox, although it might be nice to be able to reach them as well.  Many of our games were designed for a handheld device, to be played when you're riding on the subway, or waiting for someone to meet you.  The problem has been the total lack of customers and Microsoft didn't understand how to help create a vibrant marketplace.  Twitter offers special ad cards to promote your apps.  You include the iOS and Android IDs and tweet about your game with built-in links to the App Store and Google Play.  Someone at Microsoft could have called Twitter and requested equal access, as we suggested to them.  Instead Microsoft's solution to game developers was to just offer them free handsets and then free credits with the Unity Asset Store.  To be honest, without which we probably never would have considered publishing the 6 titles that we currently have in the Windows Phone Store.

Then the announcement that Microsoft was closing the entire Nokia wireless division they had just bought a year earlier.  See: Ballmer's phone blunder cost Microsoft $10B  That virtually eliminates the largest supplier of Windows Phones.  Unless Samsung and HTC step up production, we are doomed to selling games to a line of phones that only achieved a 2.5% market share.  We sell thousands of copies of an iOS game, hundreds of an Android, and single digits on the Windows Phone.  Of course, if I believe that PC or Xbox owners would like to play the same game on a much larger screen with completely different input devices and gameplay.

There's also the issue of if the Windows Phone is still alive.  See: Told ya so: Microsoft Lumia, Windows Phone are DEAD

Of course I'd like to call Microsoft and ask them where things stand, but it appears the only people that probably could answer my questions were part of the 7,800 in the Windows Phone division that were let go.  And the others don't seem to return phone calls or emails.  So for now, we -- like other publishers -- are in a state of limbo regarding our future support for the Windows Phone.
Ed Magnin
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iTech Dunya is a technology blog that specializes in tech-related topics.Our GOAL is to produce high-quality content for our millions of readers.
How Microsoft can reposition Windows Phone

How Microsoft can reposition Windows Phone

Do you own a windows phone? We'll, most probably only 3 out of every 100 people who read this article own a windows phone. Windows has been struggling as a mobile platform and the last few months have been a roller coaster ride. While the phone has been performing well in growing markets, the recent news of 7800 layoffs and write off of the Nokia Deal left many wondering what exactly is Microsoft planning to do with its mobile platform. Windows Phone 8.1 has brought many changes in terms of improved user experience and customization, and Microsoft started concentrating on launching budget friendly devices in emerging markets to compete with the Android Counterparts. It's been over an year since I moved from Android to Windows Phone. The initial few months were frustrating, partly because of the 'app gap' and partly because of the lack of customization available in Android. But over time, I started falling in love with the simplicity of live tiles, some great features like the built in Office and the ability to deliver a great and reliable phone experience within budget. But still, I feel below are some of the core areas that Microsoft has to concentrate to boost windows phone as a truly consumer friendly and reliable platform.

Email

If you have moved to Windows Phone from Android or iOS, or if your primary email is Gmail, then this will be your first baffling point. Any email has to be configured from the settings and there is no official Gmail app(and most probably there never will be, thanks to Google). While your hotmail or outlook experience is great, Gmail will be painful with pretty limited email options. You cannot star your mails and working with attachments is a pain. There are some good alternatives like the MetroMail, but still, you will miss the ‘Welcome to your Inbox' experience you will have on Android or iOS. While this might not bother first time users, this will definitely baffle people who switched to windows from Android.

I am not saying this is bad. But moving to a different platform and then frantically searching for a very common feature is frustrating. There is definitely something that Microsoft can do here to improve the experience of the switchers. The official Gmail API will definitely be a good place to start.

The Outlook app for iOS was much lauded and was rated as one of the best email Apps. The recent Send app for iOS is a fresh breath of innovation in how else can an email app work. But yes, please do something for the home ground.

The App Gap

Yes, I am coming there, thank you for your patience. Irrespective of whether you are an avid email user or not, this will hit you like a storm initially. In case Windows phone is your first smartphone, you will still wonder why the so called 'super cool app that your friends on Android or iOS are using' is either missing or is not full of features. Instagram is still in Beta since over an year, LinkedIn was not updated since ages and yes, there is no snap chat. LinkedIn pulse app is missing and the official Amazon.in App experience is far far below in comparison to its Android and iOS counterparts.

Now Windows 10 universal apps is a good news. Provided the vast share of windows desktop users, this will definitely bring some enthusiasm to developers. However, the option to 'port' Android and iOS apps to windows 10 might not really fill the gap completely here, though this is a great move.

What can Microsoft do here? At least make sure the 'super cool' apps are there. I understand that there are things that Microsoft cannot control. But yes, like the old adage, "where there is an API, there is a way".

For the citizens

When ever someone asks me to suggest a phone, I start with what they are looking for in a phone, their budget etc and then narrow them down to some choices. When it comes to a Windows Phone, I show them the live tiles, the simplicity of the home screen, the built in Office and will let them play around with my Lumia 630. Most of the times, the choice is between an Android phone and a Lumia, but one striking question that they come back to me is ‘why should I choose a Lumia when I can get better specs in Android for the same Price range?’

Yes, there is Office for Android and iOS and Cortana is coming to Android and iOS. Microsoft’s move to embrace other mobile platforms is highly commendable. But, there should be something attractive for someone to choose a Lumia over a similar priced Android. One key area where I see Microsoft can definitely pump up here is the XBox games. Can Windows Phone users have some privileges here? In the end, can Microsoft showcase some key points for a user to pick a Lumia.

Flagships

A flagship phone is essential to compete in the high end market. While Microsoft has been releasing mid and low end devices, it has been sometime since a flagship was released to compete with equivalents from iPhone and Samsung. I will no dive much here,since the Cityman and Talkman are coming soon and this area is addressed.

Windows phone has a huge potential to position itself as a prominent operating system and the promise of universal apps and the ability to port Android and iOS apps to window 10 mobile rise the bar of expectations. My brother recently moved from his beloved Lumia 520 to an Android phone. After a while I asked him how is it going. He smiles at me and says ‘Its good, but somehow I miss the convenience of my Lumia’. I smile back at him.
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iTech Dunya is a technology blog that specializes in tech-related topics.Our GOAL is to produce high-quality content for our millions of readers.
Microsoft Introduce Microsoft Payments With Window 10 Mobile

Microsoft Introduce Microsoft Payments With Window 10 Mobile


After Apple, Google and Samsung, Microsoft is getting nearer to its own payments obtaining. The so-called “Microsoft Payments” is all but confirmed currently and can make an appearance once Windows 10 for phones hits the market.

A similar “tap to pay” feature has already been shown at a Windows hardware partners’ conference in China. The service,  like Apple Pay and others uses NFC for payments and supports Host Card Emulation on Windows 10, which means you won’t need a SIM card or carrier support in order to hold out transactions.



It’s still not better-known whether some sort of secondary encryption within the form of fingerprint scanners will be necessary, but Windows 10 does support a large range of encryption ways, as well as iris, face and biometric-sensor support.

That’s to not say that wireless payments haven’t been offered on Windows Phones up till currently. Microsoft has already partnered with PayPal to support PayPal Here while a few third-party app developers such as Softcard already have their solutions for Redmond’s Mobile OS.

However, this will be the first time that Microsoft itself is working as a primary entity in this cause. With a relatively limited reach until now, it'll be interesting to see whether the new service, which will get a formal launch soon catches fire or not.
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iTech Dunya is a technology blog that specializes in tech-related topics.Our GOAL is to produce high-quality content for our millions of readers.
WP has some bad reputation just because the apps, but is changing in that way and is growing, today cannot compete with the mature of iOS or Android because WP8 is to
o new, probably is better than iOS and Android, but not too much people knows about it... that's why the main article says "Why I Switched back- For Now!"
I'm not a gamer but compare Xbox few years ago trying to get traction against Nintendo or Play Station, now all of them can run almost the same games... all of them trying innovations or improvements for differentiation but at the end the good competition is better for the end user on any platform...
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iTech Dunya is a technology blog that specializes in tech-related topics.Our GOAL is to produce high-quality content for our millions of readers.
Windows Phone!
Hello world, I was wrong: Stop complaining about Windows Phone!

Yes, I love Android and no, I don't wanna swap my phablet with a Windows Phone platform for now but... guys I was so wrong.
I used to bash Windows Phone passionately because I truly believed that anything that came before WP8 sucked and I really mean it! With the rise of new WP 8 handsets and the afford Nokia put into their devices I have to admit that Microsoft powers some of the finest smartphones in the market.

It is sometimes so hard to overcome your prejudices but there is a reason why Windows Phone has this huge momentum in Latin- and South-America (number 2 in terms of market share). There is a reason why Nokia is again the number one in Russia.

I am absolutely convinced that we will see the second biggest comeback in the history of the industry after Apple.
Oh and one more thing... you might wanna check out Windows Phone reviews on Android blogs and sites. I don't know a single serious reviewer who didn't like the recent handsets.

Things change and the western markets are not setting the trends anymore
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