6 ms·

Why doesn't Microsoft just fork Android like Amazon did, give it a Metro interface (it could look exactly the same as WP does today)? I can't think of any reaso

by Touche 13y ago

Why doesn't Microsoft just fork Android like Amazon did, give it a Metro interface (it could look exactly the same as WP does today)? I can't think of any reason for them not to do this now...

smackfu 13y ago
> I can't think of any reason for them not to do this now... Besides the fact that it would be a total rewrite?
- Touche 13y ago
  A rewrite of a failing product shouldn't be an issue.
  - danieldk 13y ago
    Except that Windows Phone is currently doing very well in some regions. For instance, in the largest European economies they currently have 10% of the smartphone sales. And quarter over quarter growth is good. It's only a small chunk of the pie, but numbers that start to matter. For reference, the share of the iPhone in these economies is currently around 16%. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/30/us-cellphones-europe-idUSBRE98T0RN20130930 http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/30/us-cellphones-euro...
    - Touche 13y ago
      That's irrelevant. Microsoft can survive on incremental gains but their hardware partners cannot; that's why they're abandoning the platform. HTC's Windows Phone have been disasters, that's the reason they are pushing this dual-boot strategy. Otherwise they'll lose all hardware partners and only have the remnants of Nokia to run themselves (far from a sure thing).
      - danieldk 13y ago
        That's irrelevant. How is rapid growth and significant marketshare 'irrelevant'? Even if other vendors put Windows Phone on the back burner, Nokia phones are the most popular by far (according to most surveys 80% of the Windows Phones sold are Nokia phones). If they continue Nokia's tradition of good hardware at low prices, that can drive sales, while the ecosystem grows. Also, it's not as if HTC is making big profits with Android. They'll probably want to spread their bets.
    - camus 13y ago
      they are doing so well they are going for the dual boot scheme, how does MS kool aid taste ? Windows Phones are a disaster, that cost Ballmer his job.
      - sremani 13y ago
        the coda on WP is not written yet, IPhone 5C gave a massive lease of life by not coming up with a true budget friendly alternative.
      - pmelendez 13y ago
        "they are doing so well they are going for the dual boot scheme" Apple Mac were doing well when they decided to dual boot with Windows. It is just a fact that Android is dominating so giving an option to boot to the dominating OS would let them to increase the installed base. >"how does MS kool aid taste ?" I am not the OC but why you have to be that rude? >"Windows Phones are a disaster, that cost Ballmer his job." I use the three OSs and WP8 is by far my favourite, it is very hard for me to see that as a disaster.
  - Permit 13y ago
    The guys at Netscape would love to speak to you for a minute.
stinos 13y ago
Because a fork with a metro skin on top isn't Windows?
- Touche 13y ago
  Microsoft existed long before Windows, if they make Windows a perpetual requirement it will be their ultimate downfall.
larrik 13y ago
Because then they can't control the toolset like they do currently. Or anything else, really.
JimmaDaRustla 13y ago
Infinite loops - they'd have to pay themselves royalties...then it gets messy and confusing...
anologwintermut 13y ago
Because Microsoft thinks the Windows internals have value both to developers and, more importantly, to Microsoft's own engineers who are better at doing engineering on Windows. They can deliver features that stand out. IF they just stuck metro on android, they'd just be a UI skin.
fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
>I can't think of any reason for them not to do this now... The insufferable propaganda that would ensue, plus a lot of Windows customers making an inconvenient conclusion.
pmelendez 13y ago
That would be great if Android would be a far better OS than WP8 which comparing the performance/hardware requirement ratio on both OSs doesn't seem to be the case.
untog 13y ago
Because Android isn't necessarily a great OS to fork from. In my experience, the cheap, low powered Windows Phone devices work much, much better than the cheap Android ones.

by Touche 13y ago

Why doesn't Microsoft just fork Android like Amazon did, give it a Metro interface (it could look exactly the same as WP does today)? I can't think of any reason for them not to do this now...

smackfu 13y ago

> I can't think of any reason for them not to do this now... Besides the fact that it would be a total rewrite?

Touche 13y ago
A rewrite of a failing product shouldn't be an issue.
- danieldk 13y ago
  Except that Windows Phone is currently doing very well in some regions. For instance, in the largest European economies they currently have 10% of the smartphone sales. And quarter over quarter growth is good. It's only a small chunk of the pie, but numbers that start to matter. For reference, the share of the iPhone in these economies is currently around 16%. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/30/us-cellphones-europe-idUSBRE98T0RN20130930 http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/30/us-cellphones-euro...
  - Touche 13y ago
    That's irrelevant. Microsoft can survive on incremental gains but their hardware partners cannot; that's why they're abandoning the platform. HTC's Windows Phone have been disasters, that's the reason they are pushing this dual-boot strategy. Otherwise they'll lose all hardware partners and only have the remnants of Nokia to run themselves (far from a sure thing).
    - danieldk 13y ago
      That's irrelevant. How is rapid growth and significant marketshare 'irrelevant'? Even if other vendors put Windows Phone on the back burner, Nokia phones are the most popular by far (according to most surveys 80% of the Windows Phones sold are Nokia phones). If they continue Nokia's tradition of good hardware at low prices, that can drive sales, while the ecosystem grows. Also, it's not as if HTC is making big profits with Android. They'll probably want to spread their bets.
  - camus 13y ago
    they are doing so well they are going for the dual boot scheme, how does MS kool aid taste ? Windows Phones are a disaster, that cost Ballmer his job.
    - sremani 13y ago
      the coda on WP is not written yet, IPhone 5C gave a massive lease of life by not coming up with a true budget friendly alternative.
    - pmelendez 13y ago
      "they are doing so well they are going for the dual boot scheme" Apple Mac were doing well when they decided to dual boot with Windows. It is just a fact that Android is dominating so giving an option to boot to the dominating OS would let them to increase the installed base. >"how does MS kool aid taste ?" I am not the OC but why you have to be that rude? >"Windows Phones are a disaster, that cost Ballmer his job." I use the three OSs and WP8 is by far my favourite, it is very hard for me to see that as a disaster.
- Permit 13y ago
  The guys at Netscape would love to speak to you for a minute.

stinos 13y ago

Because a fork with a metro skin on top isn't Windows?

Touche 13y ago
Microsoft existed long before Windows, if they make Windows a perpetual requirement it will be their ultimate downfall.

larrik 13y ago

Because then they can't control the toolset like they do currently. Or anything else, really.

JimmaDaRustla 13y ago

Infinite loops - they'd have to pay themselves royalties...then it gets messy and confusing...

anologwintermut 13y ago

Because Microsoft thinks the Windows internals have value both to developers and, more importantly, to Microsoft's own engineers who are better at doing engineering on Windows. They can deliver features that stand out. IF they just stuck metro on android, they'd just be a UI skin.

fnordfnordfnord 13y ago

>I can't think of any reason for them not to do this now... The insufferable propaganda that would ensue, plus a lot of Windows customers making an inconvenient conclusion.

pmelendez 13y ago

That would be great if Android would be a far better OS than WP8 which comparing the performance/hardware requirement ratio on both OSs doesn't seem to be the case.

untog 13y ago

Because Android isn't necessarily a great OS to fork from. In my experience, the cheap, low powered Windows Phone devices work much, much better than the cheap Android ones.