With Android and iOS dominating the smartphone market, Microsoft has been forced to make a very bold decision that could make the Windows Phone platform more competitive in some markets.
In what might be seen as a desperate attempt by the software giant, Microsoft has made Windows Phone free for Indian smartphone manufacturers. At the moment, the company has waived the license fees for smartphone makers, Karbonn and Lava. Both companies were recently announced as the latest manufacturers to join Microsoft in its bid to drive adoption of the platform among consumers in India.
Karbonn and Lava both create low-cost Android smartphone, so it can be seen as a smart move to get to get these companies aboard the Windows Phone train. It is understood that Microsoft was in talks with the pair since 2013, but a deal did not came to fruition due to the license fee Microsoft demands from every Windows Phone maker.
It is clear that the idea to eliminate fees came by way of iOS and Android's dominance in the smartphone market, and we are expecting Microsoft to make the operating system free to all in the future to come.
"Free Windows Phone is part of a strategic partnership. For both Microsoft and us, it is an experiment. Windows Phone still doesn't have lot of appeal in the market but now that it doesn't have any licence fee, it becomes easier for us to experiment with it," said one senior executive of a phone company to the Times of India.
Cutting the license fee in developing nations is a key move by Microsoft, as there are several free smartphone operating systems that are looking to make a name in these markets. For example, there's Ubuntu and FirefoxOS, both trying to grow market share and consumer loyalty from within developing nations, and both are free.
"If Microsoft has decided to waive the licence fee for Windows Phone, it is great news for local phone makers. Local phone makers are comfortable with Android. They are still not sure of the appeal of Windows Phone. If the OS is free to use, they will feel more confident while experimenting with it in the market," said senior IDC analyst, Manasi Yadav.
Now that Microsoft has chosen to make Windows Phone free, we have to ask the question, is it enough? Highly unlikely. This move would no doubt push the platform further, but Microsoft would need to bring Windows Phone on parity with Android and iOS in terms of features and applications.
Furthermore, Microsoft would need to convince users why they should switch from Google services to the company's own services since Google is almost nonexistent on the Windows Phone platform. Failure to do so, and the move to make the platform free would have been in vain.
