Why did Microsoft fail with smartphones?

[sbpromania]

I predict MS OS will fail right along with it's phones. It's just a matter of time. Seems the only thing keeping MS alive are it's hard core gamers. Like rats jumping from a sinking ship... I'm surprised they are still hanging on.

I don't see how Windows is going to go away anywhere soon, as long as Office remains only on Windows (and Office isn't going anywhere for sure), Windows is going to stick around for many years.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I don't see how Windows is going to go away anywhere soon, as long as Office remains only on Windows (and Office isn't going anywhere for sure), Windows is going to stick around for many years.

There is a version of Office for OSX, Android and iOS.

 

[Artdeco]

There is a version of Office for OSX, Android and iOS.

That took forever, too, they were stubborn as hell to ignore the popularity of iOS and Android.

 

[Commodus]

Yeah, I don't get how someone could say Office was Windows-only. Ever since there was a full-fledged Office suite, there has been a Mac version floating around.

The Android and iOS releases (which started in 2014) are bigger deals. They're an acknowledgment not just that Microsoft missed the boat on mobile, but that the computing landscape had fundamentally changed: the bad old days when Windows monopolized computing were over. It's still the majority on PCs, but PCs are just one piece of a larger puzzle.

 

[poofyhairguy]

The Android and iOS releases (which started in 2014) are bigger deals.

And now that Chromebooks run Android apps, the circle is complete. Windows isn't needed anymore even for PC form factors.

 

[Red Storm]

And now that Chromebooks run Android apps, the circle is complete. Windows isn't needed anymore even for PC form factors.

There's still gaming. When iOS/Android ports become more common I will finally be able to let go of Windows for good.

 

[ControlD]

And now that Chromebooks run Android apps, the circle is complete. Windows isn't needed anymore even for PC form factors.

Yeah but who wants to restrict themselves to only running web/Android apps 24/7? No thank you.

 

[MarkizSchnitzel]

And now that Chromebooks run Android apps, the circle is complete. Windows isn't needed anymore even for PC form factors.

There is basically not a single thing I do at my work that I could do on iOS/Android. And my job is very simple really, just QA.
I can not even imagine someone with a programming position trying to do their thing on android..

 

[Red Storm]

There is basically not a single thing I do at my work that I could do on iOS/Android. And my job is very simple really, just QA.
I can not even imagine someone with a programming position trying to do their thing on android..

Pretty sure we're talking about home use. Windows is overkill for the majority of non-techy computer users. For them, a Chromebook runs better, is more secure, affordable, and is much less of a hassle to deal with. That last point runs both ways, I get much fewer calls/texts/emails asking for help from the family with Chromebooks than I did compared to Windows machines.

 

[sbpromania]

There is a version of Office for OSX, Android and iOS.

Indeed, it was a mistake. I wanted to state the fact that Office is used by many many companies, and although Office is present on OS X, the majority of companies use Windows as their OS.

 

[poofyhairguy]

There's still gaming. When iOS/Android ports become more common I will finally be able to let go of Windows for good.

That is what a PS4.5 is for 🙂

 

[poofyhairguy]

Yeah but who wants to restrict themselves to only running web/Android apps 24/7? .

If it means no viruses, malware or computers that "hate" them something like 90% of consumer PCs could be replaced with a Androidified Chromebook.

I can't tell you how many people I know that have $2k MacBooks that are glorified web browsers.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Indeed, it was a mistake. I wanted to state the fact that Office is used by many many companies, and although Office is present on OS X, the majority of companies use Windows as their OS.

Companies is something completely different. They will still use Windows when I am 70 (am 34 now).

 

[s44]

And now that Chromebooks run Android apps, the circle is complete. Windows isn't needed anymore even for PC form factors.

Blizzard is releasing Overwatch for Android!?

 

[poofyhairguy]

Blizzard is releasing Overwatch for Android!?

Just because Windows isn't needed for PCs doesn't mean some people won't want it anyway for good reasons. Basically I am saying Chrome OS is viable in a way "desktop Linux" never was.

 

[sm625]

Microsoft didnt get with the program:

As a result, they got Vince Fostered. There are several other examples of searches like these that all have similarly obvious implications.

This is not an accident, since google's own Trends tool clearly shows which is the more popular search term.

 

[quikah]

If it means no viruses, malware or computers that "hate" them something like 90% of consumer PCs could be replaced with a Androidified Chromebook.

I can't tell you how many people I know that have $2k MacBooks that are glorified web browsers.

Yeah, but when 90% of consumers switch to ChromeOS the viruses and malware will follow.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Yeah, but when 90% of consumers switch to ChromeOS the viruses and malware will follow.

It can't really. Chrome OS is a Chrome browser in a Linux sandbox. The only apps it gets come directly from Google, either through the Play Store or the Chrome Store, and Google checks all those apps for viruses and malware.

 

[Artdeco]

It can't really. Chrome OS is a Chrome browser in a Linux sandbox. The only apps it gets come directly from Google, either through the Play Store or the Chrome Store, and Google checks all those apps for viruses and malware.

Say what?

 

[poofyhairguy]

Say what?

All apps that enter the Play Store are scanned for known problems before they are hosted in the store. A great read on that is here:

http://www.extremetech.com/computin...rus-apps-are-useless-heres-what-to-do-instead

 

[Artdeco]

All apps that enter the Play Store are scanned for known problems before they are hosted in the store. A great read on that is here:

http://www.extremetech.com/computin...rus-apps-are-useless-heres-what-to-do-instead

And they reviewed the millions of apps already there?

The Play Store is still a mess.

 

[MarkizSchnitzel]

Pretty sure we're talking about home use. Windows is overkill for the majority of non-techy computer users. For them, a Chromebook runs better, is more secure, affordable, and is much less of a hassle to deal with. That last point runs both ways, I get much fewer calls/texts/emails asking for help from the family with Chromebooks than I did compared to Windows machines.

Ok, that obviously makes sense.

I'd still hate that though. Most company PCs are desktops, AFAIK. So if consumer space is lost, what sort of quality of consumer grade laptops can we expect, and at what prices?

There is not much a Chromebook can't do that I need (more or less often), but for those times I do.. When my laptop broke 3 years back, and I had to do with an iPad2.. That was really hard. I imagine Chromebooks would feel similar TO ME.

How is file management in ChromeOS?
I do that really a lot. Photos, music, videos, documents, bills, receipts..

I suppose we will all adjust as time goes.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I'd still hate that though. Most company PCs are desktops, AFAIK.

Nah, companies love dockable notebooks. There will always be refurb Latitudes you can buy even if the consumer PC market collapses.

Actually the biggest success for Chromebooks is in schools. Perfect for that environment.

Chrome OS does have a file manager.

 

[MarkizSchnitzel]

Nah, companies love dockable notebooks. There will always be refurb Latitudes you can buy even if the consumer PC market collapses.

Well that's something, I guess. Though, in that case, I'd still opt for a hybrid. Like SP4/x. I suppose those will stick around no matter what, since they are dockable 🙂

Chrome OS does have a file manager.

That's good to know, thanks for the info.

 

[Artdeco]

Nah, companies love dockable notebooks. There will always be refurb Latitudes you can buy even if the consumer PC market collapses.

Actually the biggest success for Chromebooks is in schools. Perfect for that environment.

Chrome OS does have a file manager.

Plus a forward thinking company realizes if they get kids trained on a particular OS, it greatly increases the odds of it's widespread adoption over time.