While there had been hiccups about Huawei launching dual booth phone, one running Android while other is Windows Phone, it seems Huawei is not confident about Windows Phone OS because of one primary reason—the closed system—where except Microsoft nobody else has the access to all the features which can allow a phone maker to customize and make a Windows Phone to stand out.
I took interview of Mr. Shao Yang, CMO of Huawei Consumer BG at MWC 2014 where even though he talked about the dual boot phone, he wasn’t sure of launching a new Windows Phone because of several reasons. I have a recording of the interview with me and below are some key points he mentioned when asked on Huawei plans for Windows Phone.
Q: Do you have a concrete plan for new handset of Windows Phone or are you still watching the market ?
A: In Windows Phone there is one problem that it has more licensing cost than Android. That increases the price of the phone by 10%. So that’s one block point of Windows. The second block is the ecosystem. The third and major block point is that Windows Phone is not so open as Android which blocks a vendor to make their own innovation. The result of the last block is that all Windows Phone looks too similar and it is hard to differentiate different brands from each other.
Q: Now that Nokia is soon going to be part of Microsoft, will you be trying to get in touch with Microsoft to get access to API et all so you can customize your Windows Phone handset and make it stand out.
A : When Microsoft and Nokia combine together, it will be even harder to open the API. That will not make the competition fair.
Q: Why do you say its not fair ? Are you worried that Microsoft will come with their own hardware ?
A: The problem is the API and customization are not available equally for all. Initially all phone makers started with Windows Phone but only Nokia had exclusive access to some of the API. Now with Nokia gone into Microsoft, the problem still remains the same.
So for example, Google bought Motorola but since Android is open to all, nobody had a problem with Google producing their own hardware as the opportunity to come with more customized phone remains open to all.
That said, it”s not a big surprise when Huawei backtracked on dual boot OS and I wont be surprised if they completely stop making Windows Phone down the lane because of the limited access to the OS. Android is doing well for them even though as per Mr. Shao Yang, they managed to sell some 100K of both the versions of their Windows Phone handsets.
I agree with him too but his reasons are not so valid if you look closely for instance
1-no matter which version of android you use with/out google play android costs just as WP now all thanks for MS/Nokia patent.
2-ecosystem problem will solve if those OEM supported WP just as they supported Android.
3-as much i agree with him i disagree too if u look at it every OEM needs to differentiate itself from others and this is all reasonable how ever this differentiate if it comes on User experience with the os and it will give as another android i will say no thank you we don’t need your differentiate it will slow Update cycle like android right now for check GDR3 update even it has been out for months now it only have 41% of market share and u may ask why its because Nokia privileges access to WP and customization and not to mention carriers are @#$holes
Wow dude.. It would really help understanding your third point if you added some punctuation here..
“Android is doing well for them even though as per Mr. Shao Yang, they managed to sell some 100K of both the versions of their handsets.” -> Can you please elaborate what this means? Does this refer to w1 and w2? Or android and WP? Are these quarterly numbers? Or restricted to certain markets?
Hi Arun, Yes that’s for Windows Phone. I have just updated and its on individual basis. However, I am not sure if they quarterly or yearly nor did they tell about market segment.
The cost should no longer be an issue for a lot of the carriers, seeing as Microsoft either lowered them or removed them based on the status of the company.
The one thing I hate about Android is the fact that it is too open. It is what leads to slower response time on Android updates because each carrier needs to apply their modifications to the OS before shipping it back out to the end user. But also the carriers tend to add so much bloat that in some cases you cannot even recognize the operating system the device is running.
I used to agree with the notion that Android was a good OS. But the fact that it is forked in so many different ways and is being maliciously exploited is becoming far more of an issue. There have been a few viruses going about on my friends’ Android phones. All because they installed an app without understanding the consequences.
Open does not mean better. At the end of the day, my friends are looking and pointing the fingers at Samsung for their viruses. Now these same friends are considering iPhone and Nokia devices.