Windows Phone is failing because Microsoft wants the same level of autonomy that Apple enjoys with the iPhone, and there's no way the carriers will allow it.
What should MS do? They need to produce a product that is similar in quality to the iPhone. Microsoft understands how to do this better than anyone else in the mobile space, but it means stripping away most of the carrier control and the carriers obviously won't go for it. And if you don't have the support of the carriers then you're dead, and that's the position Windows Phone finds itself.
Apple sells phones to users. Every other manufacturer sells phones to carriers, that means it's all about making the carriers happy. RIM, Samsung, LG, and Motorola all know this.
Nokia understands this better than any other manufacturer, which is why their involvement with Windows Phone is so important to MS. And at this point the success of Windows Phone depends entirely on Nokia.
It will be interesting to see what Nokia does to the Windows Phone platform to make it more palatable to the carriers, but we can be certain that those changes won't be particularly user friendly (not that it matters).
What should MS do? They need to produce a product that is similar in quality to the iPhone. Microsoft understands how to do this better than anyone else in the mobile space, but it means stripping away most of the carrier control and the carriers obviously won't go for it. And if you don't have the support of the carriers then you're dead, and that's the position Windows Phone finds itself.
Apple sells phones to users. Every other manufacturer sells phones to carriers, that means it's all about making the carriers happy. RIM, Samsung, LG, and Motorola all know this.
Nokia understands this better than any other manufacturer, which is why their involvement with Windows Phone is so important to MS. And at this point the success of Windows Phone depends entirely on Nokia.
It will be interesting to see what Nokia does to the Windows Phone platform to make it more palatable to the carriers, but we can be certain that those changes won't be particularly user friendly (not that it matters).