Why doesn't Windows Phone open up a little?

[desura]

If they've already dropped licensing costs to nothing, why not go further and...open the platform some so that competing browsers can be installed? IE is fine, but the platform would be helped a lot by having firefox.

 

[Bateluer]

Letting other services onto the phone doesn't get people using Microsoft's services.

 

[bearxor]

It's not the goal of Windows Phone to be like Android.

 

[desura]

It's not the goal of Windows Phone to be like Android.

Well, they need to gain marketshare. This would be one way.

 

[TripleThreatTLT]

Not so sure the average consumer really cares about alternate browsers. I think the increased market share would be negligible.

 

[zerogear]

Most people I know who use smartphones (Android) uses the default Browser (not even Chrome)

 

[desura]

Letting other services onto the phone doesn't get people using Microsoft's services.

They could make a requirement of loading a browser on the phone that it has to default to bing.

This move would increase developer interest probably.

 

[Mopetar]

They could make a requirement of loading a browser on the phone that it has to default to bing.

This move would increase developer interest probably.

The amount of interest having a different browser available would generate for the platform is negligible. Even Google has realized that having a tight user experience is better, even if that means being more restrictive.

The number of people for which lack of an alternative browser is the sticking point preventing them from switching to Windows Phone can probably be counted on one hand, assuming that there are any to count at all.

 

[cronos]

Most people I know who use smartphones (Android) uses the default Browser (not even Chrome)

I thought the recent Android phones have all defaulted to Chrome for the browser? Or is it just the Nexus devices that do this?

 

[zerocool84]

I thought the recent Android phones have all defaulted to Chrome for the browser? Or is it just the Nexus devices that do this?

Yes within the last year or two, he's obviously talking about older phones as the standard Brower is gone now.