Microsoft Upgrades Mobile Interface Software
Few people gave much thought to the operating system their mobile phone ran just a few years ago. The cell phone performed simple functions that included a directory of family, friends and business contacts and it made calls. Today, the operating system your phone uses now is an important aspect of all mobile devices. From the most base consideration of how your phone looks to applications, functionality and speed are now integral to the future success of any platform.
Hardware designers are also concerned about the OS they operate, Apple and Research In Motion (RIM – Blackberry) are closed platforms available only for their devices, Symbian and Android are open source platforms that are available for quite literally ANY manufacturer to integrate into not only cell phones, but platforms such as netbooks and even Barnes and Noble’s e-Book reader uses the Android platform.
Pop quiz: Which Operating System DOMINATES today’s mobile phone market? Is it RIM, Apple Symbian or Android? The answer at the end of the article.
Microsoft has been a laggard in the industry accounting for approximately 18% of all mobile devices in the US according to comScore and roughly 8.8% of devices worldwide according to Canalys.
So today, the CEO of Microsoft Steve Ballmer took the wraps off the promising Windows Phone 7 Series at the Mobile World Congress wireless trade show in Barcelona. It promises to be an upgrade which Microsoft is hoping to reverse the company’s sagging share in mobile. Scheduled to appear later this year for the holiday season, the new interface looks to be a vast improvement over the tired 6.5 OS. The device seems to be designed for the entire consumer experience rather than just simply making sure the phone works, it looks to be taking it’s positive response from their Zune handheld music player design into the phone itself.
Whether this new upgrade plays out well, we will have to wait and see. It looks as though Microsoft isn’t going to go down without a fight and it may give some reason to consider taking a look at the phones when they roll out.
Oh, and the answer to the mobile operating system that commands the lion’s share of the mobile market? Symbian at over 50% of the market today. One thing’s for sure, this undoubtedly will change .
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Benny Carreon is the President and CEO of GrayBear Resources Group. GBR is a next-generation telecommunications consulting firm. We aren't a telephone company's vendor disguising itself as a consultant. We don't sell carrier products that would conflict with out mission - our goal is to work for our clients by reducing costs, streamlining services, eliminating waste and fraud while providing the least disruption to your business.
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