Poll Position for Windows Phone 7

With the launch of Windows Phone 7 just days away, now is a good time to get in with last minute predictions of how successful this new OS will be.

Of course, launching a new smart phone today, when there are already 3 key players (iPhone, Android and BlackBerry) seems like a crazy idea, but here are a few thoughts as to why it might not be so crazy after all…

Microsoft has experience of starting late but succeeding, by building effective and profitable business models. They have done this in the PC market, and perhaps, by applying the same techniques can gain similar success in the smart phone arena.

Apple looked set to be the big players of 2010, with the launch of the iPhone 4 bringing a new handset design and the much praised retina display. Android also held promise, with the updates to their existing system and appeal to anyone wanting to customise their mobile user experience.

Blackberry were looking less optimistic, with their share of business customers declining, they are focusing on attracting users to BlackBerry messenger and trying to break into the consumer market.

It didn’t sound like there was a Microsoft shaped gap in the market – but are we missing something?

If we strip back to the basics of user experience then there are two polar opposites in play. There are the device/OS manufacturers, where the handset is designed around the OS and vice versa. These devices are fine if you like the way it works, but if it’s not your cup of tea then there’s not a lot you can do about it.

On the other hand is the super flexible open-source system, available on multiple handsets and can be configured in a number of ways to suit your needs. Whilst this offers choice, there is the disadvantage of the various handset manufacturers insisting on adding their own interfaces and features, and the problem of some apps and services behaving differently on devices that span such a range of specs.

Microsoft have tried to balance this problem by setting out basic ‘minimum requirements’ for a windows phone 7 device, which dictates various aspects of the speed and performance, as well as hardware including screen sizes supported, and the  number of hardware buttons required.

Microsoft’s approach allows users to choose a handset appropriate to their usage – for example someone who just wants a basic phone can get a phone with the minimum spec, someone who wants a good camera can opt for a phone with more megapixels or an improved zoom, and someone who wants to listen to music and watch films could go for a device with increased storage. All these users should be presented with the same user experience and not encounter the handset specific differences that they would if opting for an Android phone.

Microsoft also, almost by default, are offering a strong business phone (even when they argue that this is not their priority), as the phone will come with full compatibility with office products. Whilst the majority of businesses are still using Microsoft software (and this will remain Microsoft’s key area of income), having a smart phone which allows you to edit and create these documents on the go has a business appeal.

From a strategic perspective, including this functionality for free makes this phone appealing for the potential iPhone and Android users who want to edit documents from their phone. These users might otherwise be tempted by 3rd party apps or moving their PC based document creation to Google Docs or similar free provider.

Students are another key market who may be tempted by the office integration, as being able to make tweaks to an essay whilst in a lecture, or scroll through your reading list whilst in the library are tempting offers. Many academic institutions will use Office, and the subsidised Office Student Edition enables students to use office at university and beyond.

Whilst many Android users were initially tempted by the prospect of an open source phone, many have become frustrated by the lack of updates to specific handsets. Due to handset manufacturers adding their own user interface and features on top of the OS, users have to wait for their manufacturer to work with the latest release and get it working with their interface and features. This means that Android updates are dependent on manufacturers, thus putting the satisfaction of the customer at their mercy.

After learning from their experiences with Windows Mobile 6.5, and the various successes and failures of their competitors, Windows Phone 7 seems well placed to deliver a popular alternative.