With Android and iOS dominating the smartphone market, Microsoft must be feeling a bit under the cloud and wondering what it should do to compete with these giants. At the rate the company is going, it would take quite a long time to catch up with the leaders. What is Microsoft's plan for redemption? Well, the company is considering making Windows Phone and Windows RT available free to device manufacturers, if reports are to be believed.
This is something Google has been doing with Android since day one, and it has worked out very well for search engine giant. By making Android free of charge, Google has managed to dominate Apple in the mobile landscape. Currently, Android is the top mobile operating system in the world, followed by iOS and Windows Phone/RT.
While this would be a good idea on Microsoft's part, one has to wonder how would the software giant would make money from this expenditure. According to The Verge, if Microsoft should truly go down this road, then there will be a push to make revenue from Microsoft apps and services, which is similar to what Google has done.
Furthermore, Microsoft could attempt to push users to subscribe to its Office 365 products, Skype and SkyDrive to help offset missing license fees.
Such a move could truly put Microsoft in its best position yet to compete more effectively with Android and iOS. If this idea gets approval, Windows Phone might gain more support from OEMs along with the ailing Windows RT platform. However, it all depends on how long Microsoft takes to put this idea into action.
At the moment, there is no reason why Microsoft should not go down this path. Device manufacturers have abandoned the Windows RT platform, and only Nokia seems to have any interest in working with Windows Phone. Then again, Microsoft now owns Nokia.
Moreover, increased device manufacture support would likely push developers to look at Windows RT as a viable platform that is capable of generating revenue. In its current form, Windows RT is lacking several key apps found on iOS and Android, which makes devices a difficult sell to consumers who are knee deep in the iOS and Android ecosystem.
