Should Microsoft kill Windows Phone (and Bing) ?

[alexalex]

How Long Can Bing and Windows Phone 7 Be Beautiful Losers?

Microsoft's Bing and Windows Phone 7 products may be failures on paper, but Microsoft has a master plan to keep these non-starters going for the foreseeable future. But can they afford it?

With the exception of the mighty Windows, Office and Xbox Kinect, Microsoft doesn't have a product that is, for lack of a better word, winning.

In fact, it has a few lemons, and I sometimes wonder why Microsoft sticks around in markets where it is losing money. Why not just close up the money pits and focus on making your successful products even better?

The two that jump to mind are Bing and Windows Phone 7. I would add Zune, but Zune's dead baby, Zune's dead (at least on the hardware side).

None of these products are inferior at all, but they were designed to compete with Apple iPhones and iPods and Google in search and mobile, and needless to say, they are all are struggling for their lives.

Zune hardware (media players) was discontinued in March after failing for five years to compete with the iPod. The Zune brand, however, will live on as media player software on Windows Phone 7 and on the Xbox 360. But that ship has pretty much sailed.

Bing ? the main feature of Microsoft's biggest money pit, Online Services ? is the little search engine that could, slowly gaining search market share, mostly at Yahoo's expense. But regardless of Bing's pluck, it has not been able to take any market share away from Google since Bing launched in June 2009. Google had 65 percent search market share in June 2009 and had 65.5 percent market share this past June, according to market tracker comScore.

Bing and the online services division are like open veins, bleeding a couple billion dollars every year. In fiscal 2011, the division lost $2.56 billion and in 2010 it lost $2.33 billion. How much longer can sustain these kinds of losses?

Windows Phone 7 is also barely hanging on, but not from lack of effort. In the U.S., Windows Phone 7 market share has been dropping steadily, down to 5.8 percent as of June 2011. Meanwhile, the powerful Android owns 40 percent of U.S. market share and the iPhone owns 26.6 percent, according to comScore

(According to Gartner Windows Phone has only 1.6% worldwide market share, a drop from 4.9% of last year).

Microsoft has invested heavily in WP7, but so far it's a case of too little too late. Smartphone buyers are a passionate and loyal bunch and they still haven't welcomed Windows Phone 7 to the party....

http://blogs.cio.com/mobilewireless/16456/how-long-can-bing-and-windows-phone-7-be-beautiful-losers

[Dick Montage]

No, they most certainly should not. Neither may be the most successful platform (right now) but at least they are in the industry. It would hurt them more to not even have a foothold.

Now as for WP7... I know WinMo has been around over a decade in one form or another. But I'm calling this a new start, a version 1. It may not be selling in huge numbers right now, but give it time, I truly see it becoming a major player.

[neo158]

I wouldn't feed the troll if I were you, just let him go back under his bridge where he belongs!!

@alexalex if you honestly think people are going to agree with you when you post your usual flamebait posts in the WINDOWS PHONE section of these forums, then you're wrong. The title of this section should have given you a clue.

[BetaAddict]

Take a look at the author's description:

About this Blog:

This is Shane O'Neill's blog about Microsoft's corporate strategy and its various software and services ? the good, the bad and the ugly

For someone who supposedly specializes in understanding everything Microsoft, the article just makes him look like an idiot. How many more times does it need to be explained for people to understand that WP7 and Bing are long-term strategies that are there to provide foothold and competition in their respective areas. Bing is just awesome and can only continue improve its market share over time. WP7 has it's fair share of skeptics given how successful iOS and Android is, and this is a huge barrier when it comes to attracting new users. But those who have taken the dive have good things to say about it. Industry analysts don't go out an make predictions that WP7 could potentially be number 1 by year 2015 if it didn't have a legitimate chance.

[still1]

No we need Bing and WP7 for its competitor to innovate and that is good for consumers.....

Microsoft have a lot of money..... let them lose it.... its a win for consumers....

[Ayepecks]

No and no.

Abandoning the mobile market is not a feasible strategy when the smartphone and computer market are becoming increasingly reliant upon one another. There's no way in hell Microsoft will just give up on the smartphone market because of that. Plus, Windows Phone got pretty good reviews, it was just behind on a few features. Now it is catching up and surpassing iOS and Android in some ways. I don't see why they would abandon a product that is only beginning to hit its stride.

As for Bing, it's the second-biggest search engine. I'm not sure how being second is a failure, especially when you consider where Microsoft started from with Live. It's slowly gaining market share, but it is gaining market share. With Microsoft leveraging the 360 and Windows Phone to support it even more, there's a lot of potential.

[Melfster]

Google just paid 12 billion for Motorola who is starting to lose market share and is starting to be unprofitable again. It is a money sink. Its highly doubtful google can turn it around without jeopardizing the other android manufactures. The jury is still out for windows phone. They still have Nokia deal and Mango coming out. They have a larger app store then RIM or WebOS. So its possible they can get market share and remain viable. Bing is really the only alternative Google but I think it will have to get a lot better before it can steal market share from google. They will have integrate into Windows 8 like they do the Windows Phone 7 for it to get any traction.

[Orange Battery]

Competition is always good for us. MS may not have dominance when it comes to search or the mobile OS but I think thats good, it keeps them on their toes and developing new ideas. No company should be the market leader in everything. As we saw years ago with Internet Explorer, when you don't have the competition you get lazy.

[spudtrooper]

I for one welcome Microsoft actually spending some of their cash. Corporations are supposed to make a profit, and MS makes a healthy profit and i'm glad they're taking large risks and putting money where their mouth is. Its good for jobs, good for competition, good for the industry and good for MS.

[azure.sapphire]

It really is up to Microsoft to make that decision. I am not sure how some random columnist is supposed to have an impact. If Microsoft continues to believe that they have a chance at revenue in either field and can remain competitive they will continue to innovate and bring to market products for search and smartphones.

[Growled Member]

No, they most certainly should not. Neither may be the most successful platform (right now) but at least they are in the industry. It would hurt them more to not even have a foothold.

This. If they didn't have a presence in those fields no one would take them seriously.

[George P Global Moderator]

Once MS can add more of the US only features to Bing outside the US then its global share will go up like it has in the US (though it was flat in July). Plus WP7 is Bing centric so the two feed off of each other in the end. Adding Bing to the 360 will give it a nice boost as well.

There's zero reason to ditch either.

[Dale]

Better not, I just ordered a WP7 and it came in the mail today! lol

[tch1005]

I think one of the main reasons is the word "Windows" in it.

If they mive away fro that branding, and call it "Microsoft Metro Phone", or something like that, it may do better.

[KingCrimson]

Ah yes, let's kill Windows Phone 7 just as Mango is about to be released. I can smell your fear.

[neo158]

I think one of the main reasons is the word "Windows" in it.

If they mive away fro that branding, and call it "Microsoft Metro Phone", or something like that, it may do better.

I know, lets ditch the Windows branding all together and call it "Microsoft Mobile Phone Operating System 7" and "Microsoft Desktop and Laptop Computer Operating System 7". /s

Maybe it's just me but what's wrong with the Windows brand name?

[astroXP]

I know, lets ditch the Windows branding all together and call it "Microsoft Mobile Operating System 7" and "Microsoft Desktop Operating System 7". /s

Maybe it's just me but what's wrong with the Windows brand name?

Offtopic:

or Microsoft Windows Mobile Phone Service Pack Mango 7.5 Ultimate Series? :p

On topic:

What a bunch of BS and FUD from the writer (not OP). Might as well ask Brandon for a Trophy if that's what he wants x))

[tsupersonic]

Yeah, they should just go ahead and kill WP7, Bing, :rolleyes:

If they advertised what WP7 can do/had more sweet apps, and how fluid it is compared to iphone and android, they would get some attention.

[SkyDX]

One thing I don't understand, why do people like to call something that isn't on the first place a failure? :blink: So if Bing would overtake Google for example Google would suddenly become a failure too? There is only one first place, not everybody can be first...

[guru]

I know, lets ditch the Windows branding all together and call it "Microsoft Mobile Phone Operating System 7" and "Microsoft Desktop and Laptop Computer Operating System 7". /s

Maybe it's just me but what's wrong with the Windows brand name?

Metro sounds better than Windows Phone 7 :/

[Prince781]

How Long Can Bing and Windows Phone 7 Be Beautiful Losers?

Microsoft's Bing and Windows Phone 7 products may be failures on paper, but Microsoft has a master plan to keep these non-starters going for the foreseeable future. But can they afford it?

With the exception of the mighty Windows, Office and Xbox Kinect, Microsoft doesn't have a product that is, for lack of a better word, winning.

In fact, it has a few lemons, and I sometimes wonder why Microsoft sticks around in markets where it is losing money. Why not just close up the money pits and focus on making your successful products even better?

The two that jump to mind are Bing and Windows Phone 7. I would add Zune, but Zune's dead baby, Zune's dead (at least on the hardware side).

None of these products are inferior at all, but they were designed to compete with Apple iPhones and iPods and Google in search and mobile, and needless to say, they are all are struggling for their lives.

Zune hardware (media players) was discontinued in March after failing for five years to compete with the iPod. The Zune brand, however, will live on as media player software on Windows Phone 7 and on the Xbox 360. But that ship has pretty much sailed.

Bing ? the main feature of Microsoft's biggest money pit, Online Services ? is the little search engine that could, slowly gaining search market share, mostly at Yahoo's expense. But regardless of Bing's pluck, it has not been able to take any market share away from Google since Bing launched in June 2009. Google had 65 percent search market share in June 2009 and had 65.5 percent market share this past June, according to market tracker comScore.

Bing and the online services division are like open veins, bleeding a couple billion dollars every year. In fiscal 2011, the division lost $2.56 billion and in 2010 it lost $2.33 billion. How much longer can sustain these kinds of losses?

Windows Phone 7 is also barely hanging on, but not from lack of effort. In the U.S., Windows Phone 7 market share has been dropping steadily, down to 5.8 percent as of June 2011. Meanwhile, the powerful Android owns 40 percent of U.S. market share and the iPhone owns 26.6 percent, according to comScore

(According to Gartner Windows Phone has only 1.6% worldwide market share, a drop from 4.9% of last year).

Microsoft has invested heavily in WP7, but so far it's a case of too little too late. Smartphone buyers are a passionate and loyal bunch and they still haven't welcomed Windows Phone 7 to the party....

http://blogs.cio.com/mobilewireless/16456/how-long-can-bing-and-windows-phone-7-be-beautiful-losers

I guess the mods will have to delete this message, though, :/ but god, what a troll! Geesh, get something to do in life other than grasp at straws by pointing out the only bad thing about WP7: its current market share. You know it's a damn good OS for a phone that kicks the other ones in the arse, but you can't accept the fact that MS makes something that (as usual) diminishes Apple's overpriced underpowered sh**. Seriously, get a life and delete this immature thread. :rolleyes:

[Lachlan]

so this is like saying should google cancel chrome? should apple cancel apple TV? should nokia stop making smartphones? should RIM cancel the playbook? should HP cancel WebOS?

just because the short term costs are high does not mean its a failure.. microsoft has the most complete ecosystem in my optinion.. and these products add alot to it.. apple has noo online presense and they will pay in the long run

[WolvesHunt]

all fairness windows mobile should stick around.

Bing so vanish. No one ever say "bing it" its always "I will always ask use google before asking a stupid question*

or "Google it" , "just google it"

[123456789A]

Considering WP7 is really good, why kill it? Windows Phone is a very refreshing experience. At first I was skeptical as well and was leaning toward getting an Android after using iPhones for 3 years, but now I'm just waiting for the Nokia devices to come out later this year.

As for Bing, it's decent. It could be better, and I'm sure it'll continue to improve. I use Bing and Google about the same.

[DrJohnSmitherson]

WP7 has an unbelievable massive potential and it was only grow overtime and take over the market. PreMango can't really compete. Once Mango is out marketing can bump up and their won't be as many reasons not to choose it. The WP will only get more and more connections to the Windows OS. This will make it very compelling to get WPs. They will most likely add more and more types of syncing to PCs. One day we will load Windows that is on PCs on our WP. It will be the same OS but with the WP interface, then we will plug our phone into our monitor and the interface will switch back to Aero (or w/e the main interface is at the time). This IS the future. Windows.