It seems as though Windows Phone 7 just can't catch a break
these days. The smartphone operating system is actually
losing market share as Apple and Google make gains with iOS and Android
respectively. In addition, we just reported today that the head of the Windows
Phone Partner Group decided
to leave the company to pursue other endeavors.
However, two recent developments should give Microsoft at
least a little hope for Windows Phone 7. Ina
Fried of AllThingsD reports that
Nokia will completely abandon its Symbian roots in the United States and Canada
when it launches Windows Phone 7 based smartphones later this year. By sticking
solely with Windows Phone 7, Nokia will be able to focus as much energy on the
North American market as possible and help
put a tourniquet on the hemorrhaging of market share and profits.
“When we launch Windows Phones we will essentially be out of
the Symbian business,” Nokia Inc. President Chris Weber told Fried. “It will be
Windows Phone and the accessories around that. The reality is if we are not
successful with Windows Phone, it doesn’t matter what we do (elsewhere).”
Weber also touched on the marketing campaign that Nokia is
kicking off to make its presence known in the U.S. market. “Without getting
into numbers, it is significantly larger than anything we have done in the past
and the most we will invest in any market worldwide,” Weber continued. “They
are putting their money where their mouth is.”
Although Weber explains that he won't get into the numbers
game, earlier reports suggest that Nokia
will spend over $130M globally to launch its Windows Phone 7 handsets.
In other Windows Phone 7 news, Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha
hinted that although this company right now is focused solely on Android-based
smartphones, there
could be room for Microsoft's offering in the future. However, Jha says
that his company wants a sweet deal comparable to the one that Nokia
managed to secure with Microsoft.
"I think we're completely open to the notion of Windows
as a platform," said Jha according to Fierce
Wireless.
Jha went on to say that iOS and Android would be the
dominating smartphone platforms for the foreseeable future. When it comes to
Windows Phone 7, BlackBerry OS/QNX, and webOS; things get a bit murkier. He
definitely doesn't see room for all three in the marketplace. Given that Jha is
even considering Windows Phone 7 for Motorola smartphones, it appears that he
feels that it will be the strongest of the three “lesser” competitors in this
segment.
