True, but IIRC (and I may not), Microsoft didn’t try to challenge the grip the carriers had on their network and devices. Not in the same way Apple did. And by

True, but IIRC (and I may not), Microsoft didn’t try to challenge the grip the carriers had on their network and devices. Not in the same way Apple did. And by the time they finally did release a modern smartphone, the market had already been divvied up between Android and iOS. But fair point, sheer size isn’t enough to disrupt a market, but it damn well helps. It’s also worth remembering that Apple had to grant AT&T exclusivity to get their way initially. That’s how powerful the carriers were.