It's amazing that Microsoft can engender so much mindshare, but of the *-shares (mindshare, marketshare), the article leaves out share of profits, which makes n

It's amazing that Microsoft can engender so much mindshare, but of the *-shares (mindshare, marketshare), the article leaves out share of profits, which makes neither Android nor Microsoft look particularly compelling. One of the troubles Android is facing is that the nature of an open system (... and perhaps this is why Android is becoming less open ...) allows competitors lower entry barriers and enables low-cost providers. There is a race to slash prices and operate on thinner margins. All of this dilutes the value of the brand at the high end, and makes higher-end products stand out less. It's a valid strategy, and Android has successfully shipped an incredible number of units because of it, but profits for phone vendors are thin as a consequence. (Tangentially, unit-based marketshare is exactly what Google wants, as it sells eyeballs to advertisers.) If Microsoft can avoid these downsides of commoditization with Metro, the mindshare the article reports on could become very worthwhile for them.