What would you choose: small profits, or no customers? That's the choice.
Android was "IBM PC trick", and competititors trying to preserve high margins and differentiate their products will end like Amiga, Commodore or Atari.
Android was "IBM PC trick", and competititors trying to preserve high margins and differentiate their products will end like Amiga, Commodore or Atari.
Of course it isn't. What about "the potential for a great deal of customers"? I'm certainly not suggesting that MS has executed on this, but they're in the best position out of any second-tier OS. They have huge resources, the Xbox, a music subscription service, the whole suite of Live services, Office...
Like I said, they haven't exactly been successful despite these advantages. But if I were a failing handset manufacturer that had to tie myself to one available ship...
In fact, were they clever, MS would position themselves well in all of the non-1st-world markets (Indian sub-continent, Central America, South America, Africa, Asia). Its like playing Risk, they've got America, Europe, and Australia, but you can still hold on with the others.
That would offer more scope for growth.
e.g. http://allthingsd.com/20130903/microsoft-deal-could-mean-end...
"But when it comes to smartphones, Microsoft only has the right to use the Nokia name on Windows Phones that are in the market when the deal closes"
One thing that strikes me about apple is their culture of secrecy. There are departments within the same company that are not allowed to talk to one another. When you have no idea what other people are doing, it's very hard to play politics and the only thing you can do is just do great work.