No matter how the application got out there, it is out there. Microsoft’s digital personal assistant, Cortana, is running on Android. Currently in beta,
it is expected to be released to the public before the end of 2015.
This is one more step away from the previous strategy of ‘Microsoft’s
platform is all that counts’ as Redmond continues to embrace alternative
platforms.
The failure of Windows Phone to build a credible smartphone alternative with significant market share means that Microsoft does not have a strong user-base to leverage in this generation of connectivity. Neither does the traditional stronghold of the desk-bound computer provide safety in numbers. More and more people are moving towards their own version of mobile first and are relying on smartphones, phablets, and tablets to provide their own window on the world.
That is what Nadella has to focus on, a modern world where Microsoft is no longer number one. It has to be scrappy, it has to be tough, it has to be competent, and it has to be credible.
It also has to be ruthless when looking in the mirror. Cortana was a key part of the marketing around Windows Phone, and was seen as a strong differentiator in the smartphone world. It tied together various parts of Microsoft’s ecosystem, including Outlook calendars, email, Bing search, Xbox Music, and more. It brought Microsoft’s previous view of mobile together in Windows Phone. If you wanted to play, the Redmond-powered handsets was the only way.
Until now, Cortana has only been available through the Windows platform (be it mobile or desktop), and its value has been a mix of marketing these platforms and bringing users into Microsoft’s cloud. Does the value in making it available on iOS and Android outweigh the value of keeping it exclusively onMicrosoft’s platforms? Given Cortana’s appearance on alternative platforms, Microsoft must believe the latter is now true.
Cortana to Android is another signal that Redmond’s mobile ambitions going forward cannot be served by Windows 10 running on mobile hardware alone. While Microsoft would be foolish to ignore the hardware market and should release its own flagship Windows 10 smartphone, the real value to the Microsoft Cloud can be found in the volume of users that Android and iOS can provide.
Nadella’s building blocks for his vision of a ‘cloud-first mobile-first’ Microsoft are coming into focus, as is his ruthlessness against the products that are a distraction. Those blocks are missing one key strength of previous generations, but another is still available to win the volume of users required for success.
In previous generations, Microsoft had easy access to the required volume of users through its own OS platform. That’s no longer the case. The user base has to be found on platforms not under Redmond’s direct control. That means Microsoft has to go to where the consumers are, and pitch to them just as every other developer has to do.
While the old platform advantage is not there, Microsoft’s size and presence in terms of recognition and reach can still be used. Will that be enough over the long-term to create a sustainable cloud-based business?
It has taken time for CEO Satya Nadella to bring about his vision of Microsoft in the 21st century. As expected, more of Microsoft’s services focusing on the cloud and as the first development cycles since his appointment come to an end, more cloud-based products are being released.
The failure of Windows Phone to build a credible smartphone alternative with significant market share means that Microsoft does not have a strong user-base to leverage in this generation of connectivity. Neither does the traditional stronghold of the desk-bound computer provide safety in numbers. More and more people are moving towards their own version of mobile first and are relying on smartphones, phablets, and tablets to provide their own window on the world.
That is what Nadella has to focus on, a modern world where Microsoft is no longer number one. It has to be scrappy, it has to be tough, it has to be competent, and it has to be credible.
It also has to be ruthless when looking in the mirror. Cortana was a key part of the marketing around Windows Phone, and was seen as a strong differentiator in the smartphone world. It tied together various parts of Microsoft’s ecosystem, including Outlook calendars, email, Bing search, Xbox Music, and more. It brought Microsoft’s previous view of mobile together in Windows Phone. If you wanted to play, the Redmond-powered handsets was the only way.
Not any more.
Until now, Cortana has only been available through the Windows platform (be it mobile or desktop), and its value has been a mix of marketing these platforms and bringing users into Microsoft’s cloud. Does the value in making it available on iOS and Android outweigh the value of keeping it exclusively onMicrosoft’s platforms? Given Cortana’s appearance on alternative platforms, Microsoft must believe the latter is now true.
Cortana to Android is another signal that Redmond’s mobile ambitions going forward cannot be served by Windows 10 running on mobile hardware alone. While Microsoft would be foolish to ignore the hardware market and should release its own flagship Windows 10 smartphone, the real value to the Microsoft Cloud can be found in the volume of users that Android and iOS can provide.
Nadella’s building blocks for his vision of a ‘cloud-first mobile-first’ Microsoft are coming into focus, as is his ruthlessness against the products that are a distraction. Those blocks are missing one key strength of previous generations, but another is still available to win the volume of users required for success.
In previous generations, Microsoft had easy access to the required volume of users through its own OS platform. That’s no longer the case. The user base has to be found on platforms not under Redmond’s direct control. That means Microsoft has to go to where the consumers are, and pitch to them just as every other developer has to do.
While the old platform advantage is not there, Microsoft’s size and presence in terms of recognition and reach can still be used. Will that be enough over the long-term to create a sustainable cloud-based business?
Comments