Tomorrow, Microsoft will very likely reveal its full-scale consumer plans for Windows 10,
and that includes advancements to the platform’s operating systems for
PCs, tablets and smartphones. We already know a bit about what to expect
on the PC side, but Microsoft has a chance tomorrow to show the world
that it can take on Apple and Google with an expansive ecosystem that
better connects all of the products that run its operating systems.
It’s time for Microsoft to strike.
Microsoft Still Has an Incredible Windows Market Share
According to the latest figures from IDC, the Windows Phone share of the
smartphone market in Dec. 2014 was right around 2.7 percent, trailing
iOS at 13.8 percent and Android at 82.3 percent. That figure is expected
to grow to 5.6 percent by 2018, chewing away at iOS and Android slowly
as Microsoft continues to tackle emerging smartphone markets with
low-cost phones. Tomorrow, Microsoft can better show us how it plans to
increase its mobile share, and later we’ll discuss a few ideas how it
might do so.
Meanwhile, on the computing front, Microsoft’s Windows still has a 91.53
percent market share, according to Net Applications, to Apple’s 7.05
percent slice. Just 10.92 percent of those machines are running Windows
8.1, 5.88 percent are running Windows 8 and 53.05 percent are still
powered by Windows 7. Tomorrow, Microsoft can show the world that
Windows 10 can replace the popularity of Windows 7.
These figures show that Microsoft’s products still touch billions of
users around the globe, even if it is weak on the mobile side. That’s
why it’s going to be important for Microsoft to show how it can better
serve all of its users through a unified operating system approach.
Microsoft should push a few key points during tomorrow’s press
conference.
Microsoft Has a First-Class Cloud Storage Business
For one, it’s at the forefront of the cloud storage industry.
Microsoft’s OneDrive option, in my experience, is far superior to
Apple’s iCloud, which I’ve found is basically only good for backing up
my iPhone and iPad. OneDrive spans across Android, iOS, Xbox, PC and
Windows Phone, and can be used for storing documents, photos, videos and
more, all in a fashion that’s much more feature rich than what iCloud
offers. That’s a good start, because the cloud is becoming increasingly
important, and one area where Apple is lacking against its competitors.
The cloud is at the center of everything Microsoft is doing moving
forward. After all, the company’s new mantra under Satya Nadella says
the future of tech is “mobile first, cloud first.” The cloud now powers
Microsoft Office 365, which ties in directly with OneDrive. It’s also at
the center of Microsoft’s software strategy to keep everything in sync
across platforms, whether it’s a Wi-Fi password, your photos or your
documents, but it needs to be more than that.
Windows 10 Needs to Offer Incentives to Use Windows 10 For Phones
Microsoft should also show how it’s advancing in the mobile space, even
across multiple operating systems. Under Nadella’s guidance, we’ve seen a
change at Microsoft in the way it serves up products to folks who don’t
want to use Windows Phone. The Microsoft Band works across iOS, Android
and Windows Phone, for example, while a lot of the company’s mobile
software products, such as its Office Suite, are actually better on iOS and Android.
I don’t think Microsoft should stop offering its mobile products for
competing platforms, I think that’s a good idea, but there needs to be a
value proposition that tells us why we should use Windows Phone if
we’re also PC users. As it stands, there isn’t really one. Yet, if
you’re an Android or iOS user, for example, you have an incentive to
stay within the ecosystem for all of the products you buy.
You might use Google Chrome on the desktop, buy a Chromebook, install
Hangouts on all of your devices, purchase an Android tablet because it
works seamlessly with your Android smartphone, and more. Likewise, on
iOS, you might buy an OS X machine because it syncs so well with iOS
that it would seem silly to miss out on those bonus features.
Microsoft, right now, doesn’t really have those “bonus features” outside
of cross-platform clients like Skype, OneDrive and Office 365. I hope
it shows exclusive features, ones that only work if you’re tied to
Windows and a Windows Phone, tomorrow. What’s stopping Microsoft from
allowing me to continue my Windows Phone SMS conversation on my Windows
PC or tablet, for example? Or what about placing phone calls through my
Xbox, provided that I also own a Windows Phone?
Cortana will also likely play a role in Microsoft’s strategy to create a
unified platform. She can already learn on Windows Phone, and signs
suggest she’ll soon be able to pick up our habits on the desktop, too.
Siri hasn’t made its way to the desktop just yet, but Google Now works
across all devices, and Microsoft should and likely will, show us how
Cortana can become more valuable for mobile users if it plays a large
roll in our daily PC lives, too.
Final Thoughts
I’m excited to hear what Microsoft has in store tomorrow. We know that
it’s going to discuss its plans for Windows 10 across all devices, but
it shouldn’t do this in the same fashion that it did for Windows 8.
It’s not simply enough to offer a mobile operating system, an OS for
tablets and another for PCs. Microsoft needs to use its expertise in the
cloud, and its variety of existing products, to connect everything.
Thankfully, Microsoft very clearly has a foundation to do so. Now is the
time for it to show the doubters why its PC market share is as big as
it is, and how it can leverage its massive PC user base to increase its
share in areas where it’s still lacking, such as mobile.
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