Microsoft should not make Android phones

Microsoft encountered problems with the mobile ecosystem and marketing programs. Switching to Android, it may fail more when indirect backing his rival is Google.

Microsoft has just had a major change in personnel when appointed Satya Nadella aimed served as Group CEO . Along with his new role, Nadella facing challenges to steer the giant corporations come up. One idea is to set out the Windows Phone operating system to use the Android platform for mobile devices.

A new concept of Microsoft's operating system. Photo: SCIANT.

Direction on a positive thinking as Microsoft has yet to make any breakthrough in the handset market. However, this move put Nadella and entire corporations depend on Google - a rival of Microsoft.

Legal, fully Microsoft can create a handset based on Google's platform. Amazon also done so with the Kindle Fire tablet when using open source Android (Android Open Source Project - AOSP). These devices have the basic functions, the core Android applications and can be customized.

"AOSP provides an opportunity for Microsoft to reorient the cell array in order to exploit the advantages that rivals are. Google's operating system has many advantages such as free, widely available and easy to grow, "Charles Arthur, technology editor of The Guardian said. "For Microsoft, the company must answer the question is what to do to close the gap so large that the opponent has created." Blogger, analyst Ben Thompson also made a similar strategy to Microsoft based on AOSP.

Smartphone market share. Photo: IDC.

According to research by IDC, Windows Phone operating system has the lowest market share around the world, less than 4% of the smartphones sold in late 2013 to run Microsoft's operating system. In the US market, Windows Phone is almost absent in the premium segment, being outstripped by Android and iOS.

A recognizable problem is Windows Phone ecosystem has too few applications compared to Android and iOS. This is crucial to "Windroid" - devices running Android by Microsoft to create strength. This is similar to BlackBerry OS writes BB 10 with the ability to run Android apps . Although Microsoft will have to convince developers to write applications compatible for both Windroid but it is not impossible.

Yahoo has analyzed the causes that even if Microsoft developed based on the Android operating system, the company is also difficult to succeed.

Experience shows from Amazon, although running on the Android platform, but Kindle Fire has fallen 2% of sales in 2012, even though the general market growth of 28%, according to data from IDC. With BlackBerry, the company's business situation is not very satisfactory with BB 10 even if its new update allows direct run the APK files on Android.

The number of applications is not the only problem of the Microsoft operating system encountered. Another interesting point is that most phones sold (in the US) through the network and Microsoft have failed in this. In the US, the largest carrier is Verizon only sold a few Windows Phone model that does not come any promotional offers. With AT & T, the situation seemed better, but the device Microsoft will not be appreciated (after the Galaxy S III Mini and BlackBerry Curve 2011). In contrast, rival Samsung to spend billions of dollars on marketing and most of the networks to entice support its products running Android. The latest model of Samsung has topped or prominent position on the site of the network.Also developed Android but do not invest much on advertising as Motorola or HTC, and the result is two companies have business situation is not encouraging .

Few manufacturers interested in Microsoft's operating system except Nokia.

The final problem is that Microsoft lacks equipment manufacturers. In addition to Nokia, other companies such as Samsung, Lenovo, LG andHTC are forgetting the presence of the Windows Phone operating system that focuses only on Android. Windows Phone OS are many drawbacks but with the manufacturers to develop devices running this operating system they must pay to Microsoft . In addition, Microsoft may be forced to install Google's services on devices running Android, this is what a well-known brands such as Microsoft never wanted. The Android operating system uses Google ecosystem that creates as Gmail, YouTube and Google Maps. Microsoft also offers services such as cloud computing Outlook, Bing or SkyDrive but less of users.

Switch to Android, Microsoft can save even developed an array of mobile devices. But this also indirectly increase the success of the cloud services of Google and "killing" the services that Microsoft is competing.

So far, Microsoft's mobile segment has not achieved any significant success. CEO Nadella definitely need to make drastic changes to gain the upper hand over rivals. However, the use of the Android operating system will not be a good measure to improve the current situation of Microsoft.