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Microsoft Exec Responds To the Google-Motorola Deal 293

Posted by Unknown Lamer from the closed-is-open dept.
adeelarshad82 writes "In a statement released yesterday, Microsoft's Windows Phone Division President Andy Lees said 'Investing in a broad and truly open mobile ecosystem is important for the industry and consumers alike, and Windows Phone is now the only platform that does so with equal opportunity for all partners.' What's interesting is that even though some analysts are actually expecting OEMs to switch their focus to Windows Phone 7, past sales figures (especially for Samsung) show that the decision to do so might not come easily."
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Microsoft Exec Responds To the Google-Motorola Deal More

Microsoft Exec Responds To the Google-Motorola Deal

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  • Analyst can chime all they wish. (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 16, 2011 @12:54PM (#37108636)

    I mean, android is what 47% of smartphones, and Microsoft Windows 7 around 2%.

    Keep on wishing bitches!

    • I think they're hoping their latest round of patent abuse will push a manufacturer or two their way. Based on how Microsoft's previous 'partners' have fared, it will need to be a little stronger push.

    • Re:Analyst can chime all they wish. (Score:4, Informative)

      by UnknowingFool ( 672806 ) on Tuesday August 16, 2011 @01:10PM (#37108834)
      No all of Windows mobile is 2% which includes WM6. While MS may have sold more WP7 phones this year, it isn't matching the growth of Android and iPhone. Without looking at the split between WM6 and WP7, I would guess that many users of WM6 are not migrating to WP7 as WM6 users were mostly business while WP7 is mostly consumer.

    • I don't expect Android to give much ground, but the reason for Android's growth is obvious. Cell phone companies needed something to compete with the iPhone and the Android OS was free. If they end up lagging behind Motorolla due to their special access, they may latch onto another OS.

      I don't envision it happening but crazier things have happened.

    • This type of "analysis" is what you expect from Gardiner. It's nonsense. You're bang on. The fact of the matter is that there's consumer demand for Android, and there isn't for Windows Phone.

      The handset makers will go where the sales are and expecting them to pay Microsoft for a platform that people don't want over a free one that people do want is lunacy. It's not happening. This only changes if Microsoft can drum up some demand for WP7 hardware. Maybe Nokia can do that.

  • And Microsoft is lecturing the tech world about being open and free with software. I'm pretty sure that's one of the signs of apocalypse.
    • Actually, for specific definitions of "open" that is a longstanding Microsoft tradition:

      Microsoft does, in fact, enthusiastically endorse the right of as many hardware vendors as possible to license Microsoft operating systems and certain other platform technologies(unless that doesn't work out, like 'Playsforsure', in which case dump their sorry asses and leave the 3rd parties to rot). They also endorse the right of as many software developers as possible to develop software that depends on win32, .NET,

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by bonch ( 38532 ) *

      Based on how they've been behaving the last couple of years, I think Google could use the lecture, actually.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by s73v3r ( 963317 )

      Once I can see the source of WP7, can compile it myself, and create a ROM for loading onto my phone, then maybe I'll consider it "Open and Free". Until then, it's another locked down system. Which, if I was going to use one, there's nothing compelling about WP7 over the iPhone anyway.

    • I'm sure that he meant open surface [slashdot.org]

  • Everyone gets same deal as Nokia? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by hawguy ( 1600213 ) on Tuesday August 16, 2011 @12:56PM (#37108656)

    So when Microsoft says this:

    Windows Phone is now the only platform that does so with equal opportunity for all partners.'

    Does that mean that everyone gets billions of dollars from MS?

    http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2011/04/21/nokia-and-microsoft-deal-official-definitive-agreement-signed/ [thenextweb.com]

    As a result of the deal, Nokia will pay Microsoft royalties for the Windows Phone platform, starting only when the Finnish company launches its first Windows Phone devices. Microsoft has also agreed to make payments to Nokia “measured in the billions of dollars” for services but also intellectual property royalties.

    Or are we supposed to believe that MS would have paid for Nokia's IP even if Nokia hadn't switched to Windows Phone?

    • So when Microsoft says this:

      Windows Phone is now the only platform that does so with equal opportunity for all partners.'

      Does that mean that everyone gets billions of dollars from MS?

      http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2011/04/21/nokia-and-microsoft-deal-official-definitive-agreement-signed/ [thenextweb.com]

      As a result of the deal, Nokia will pay Microsoft royalties for the Windows Phone platform, starting only when the Finnish company launches its first Windows Phone devices. Microsoft has also agreed to make payments to Nokia “measured in the billions of dollars” for services but also intellectual property royalties.

      Or are we supposed to believe that MS would have paid for Nokia's IP even if Nokia hadn't switched to Windows Phone?

      From the article:

      The deal will focus on four areas, including the porting of Nokia’s mapping, navigation and location services to the Windows Phone operating system, with Microsoft ensuring its Bing search engine is present on Nokia devices. Combined, the companies hope that it will enable “better monetization of Nokia’s navigation assets” and bring in “new forms of advertising revenue”.

      Bing is weak on local and mapping in EU and Asia, so this deal involves that. If another OEM brings something in value to them, I am sure they may pay up.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by LWATCDR ( 28044 )

      One does wonder. Samsung is a huge cell phone makers and their Galaxy line is a huge seller. They brought into the WP7 and it flopped. Don't say wait for Mango because I heard, wait for WM6.5 and I heard wait for WP7! HTC was a HUGE WM developer. The best Windows Mobile phone made was the HD2 which really didn't do all that well until HTC put Android on the same basic phone and called it the Supersonic/Evo.
      So these two pioneers are playing second fiddle to Nokia?
      So lets see Microsoft has failed to produce a

    • Don't kid yourself, Microsoft controls every move Nokia makes, without paying for them. It was the largest corporate robbery in history. See if you can get an N9? We wouldn't want the public to see Maemo with QT screen objects on a Smart Phone would we.

      Nokia is Microsoft's bitch. More even than Motorola will be after Google pays for them.

  • Equal Opportunity (Score:4, Insightful)

    by nschubach ( 922175 ) on Tuesday August 16, 2011 @12:56PM (#37108666) Journal

    I love how it's assumed that somehow the acquisition of Moto will make Android less open to the Android alliance members... I guess that's the normal tactic. Spread FUD.

    • Yes, they spread FUD. Also, how is somehow the acquisition of Motorola giving other manufacturers less opportunities, given that MS is now so close no Nokia? My hypocrisy detector is beeping.

    • Equal opportunity for Microsoft just means when they shaft their partners over (which they've done time and again), they shaft everyone over equally.

      The smart executive has a contingency plan in place. The not-so-smart executive dives head-first into the bullsh--I mean koolaid.

    • In this case, Google's own actions caused the FUD. No one outside of Google knows for sure what their long term plans are and while I personally think the primary reason for the acquisition was for the patent portfolio, it isn't impossible that they are planning on starting a major hardware division of their own which could spell all kinds of problems for other Android manufacturers. In fact, I'd say that just about any other major company wouldn't be able to resist the temptation to throw their new weigh

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by morcego ( 260031 )

      What difference would it make even if it did ? I mean, all android versions that come from the manufactures suck in one way or another (bloatware, bad parameters etc).

      In any case, now we know the next Nexus phone will be from Motorola.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by ceoyoyo ( 59147 )

      Google doesn't exactly make their up to the minute Git repository public. It wouldn't be particularly surprising if new versions of Android were to appear on Google/Motorola devices first, or if Google devices got to manufacturing just a little faster than others because Google knew what specs were about to be announced.

      Google has a bit of a conflict of interest now.

  • Given how in bed MS and noikia are (Score:3)

    by Sir_Sri ( 199544 ) on Tuesday August 16, 2011 @12:58PM (#37108680)

    Given how in bed MS and nokia are, I can't see the 3rd party manufacturers all that happy. This now means that the lead, and pure platform for Android will probably be a motorolo product, and google didn't just spend 12 billion dollars to only make prototypes. The Nexus one, nexus S and presumably now Nexus M will follow with the Nexus M2 or whatever.

    The MS nokia hookup is equally troublesome. Not that MS can't afford to lose what it has put into Nokia, but as Nokia continues to falter until there's a big new WP7 push it may fall to MS to open the wallet and keep them afloat. That puts other manufacturers in a bind. They don't want to put out something NokiaSoft* is going to obsolete in a heartbeat, and they don't want to find that Nokia sinks and MS abandons the WP7 platform.

    *I'm referring to the sub $1000 phone market. The > $1000/phone market is a whole other ball game. I doubt anyone else is going to jump headlong into the 20k/unit smartphone market the way nokia had been, but who knows.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by mldi ( 1598123 )

      and google didn't just spend 12 billion dollars to only make prototypes.

      No, they spent $12billion for mobile patents as well as patents regarding STBs and modems, among other things. They've insisted pretty hard they are letting MM do what they do without any interference, and they're not giving them special consideration for their Nexus line over anybody else. I know, that last part is lip service, but I guess we'll find out. But really it's most about patents. They're thinking ahead for GoogleTV protection as well.

      As far as M$ goes... well... breaking everyone's legs is eq

      • Patents were important, but I think they were not the core issue. Peopel here on Slashdot get too hyped up about patents. Yes they're important, but they are no where near as important as actually being successful in the market place. Motorola adds a much needed hardware component to the google lineup. They have kicked ass with Android, but their aspirations are more to move into the tablet and TV markets and to do that they need successful hardware. It's been pretty obvious that they have had issues w

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by J0nne ( 924579 )

      There are phones that cost more than a $1000? I've never heard of such a thing, excluding those gimmicky luxury phones that have diamonds laid into them and have some fashionable brand on them.

  • Like Microsoft cares (Score:5, Interesting)

    by GodfatherofSoul ( 174979 ) on Tuesday August 16, 2011 @12:59PM (#37108692)

    Once they ran Palm into the dirt, they basically ignored Windows Mobile developers. Now that new competitors have arisen, they act like they care about the mobile segment. You can't poop on developers and expect them to put any faith in your platform again.

    That and Windows Mobile sucks as a mobile or embedded platform. My cable box is WM based and it sucks too!

  • By " Windows Phone is now the only platform that does so with equal opportunity for all partners." he means "Well, except for Nokia, who is our pet OEM, with whom we have a cozy special alliance [microsoft.com]..."

    Obviously, the biggest potential downside of the Google/Motorola acquisition is the effect on other current Android device producers, so MS can reasonably be expected to say something like that; but come on. It was not so very long ago that Microsoft and Nokia were shamelessly leveraging one another's dynamic

  • Can Microsoft really say they provide a truly open mobile ecosystem? There are a lot of closed doors in the WP7 platform, starting with its source code NOT being available, which is all that's really open about Android.

    • Maybe they mean the source to applications sold for the WP7 platform will be freely visible and open to the public. I mean, aren't they all going to be HTML and Javascript?

  • Did I wake up in an alternate universe this morning? The Windows Phone 7 platform is not only closed source but also a walled garden just like iOS and others. I knew I shouldn't accepted that drink from that gray goblin last night. Everyone knows you can only trust green goblins.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by bonch ( 38532 ) *

      Microsoft is referring to the fact that Google withholds Android source from non-privileged partners. You don't hear about it much on Slashdot because this is vehemently pro-Google territory.

      • Does MS treat all of their partners equally? The Nokia deal seems to suggest otherwise. It reminds me of the FUD Linux TCO argent they used saying that Linux would cost more due to migration costs while not acknowledging that migrating to Windows also incurs migration costs even migrating from one version to another.

      • Microsoft has little to say in this matter, because, last time I checked, Microsoft doesn't give source to even its partners either. And Microsoft doesn't have a leg to stand on, having given Nokia a huge subsidy as it migrates to WP7. In fact the sales of WP7 compared to both Android and iOS is pathetic, they aren't just in third place, they are in a distant third place.

        I find whatever Microsoft says in relation to Phone Markets as pure ... wishful thinking and FUD depending on how you look at it.

        Disclaime

      • Microsoft is referring to the fact that Google withholds Android source from non-privileged partners.

        Really and what do you think Microsoft does with its source code to WP7 with their partners?

      • Microsoft is referring to the fact that Google withholds Android source from non-privileged partners.

        Bullshit. [android.com] I can download it right now, and I'm not even an OEM.

  • Not. (Score:5, Funny)

    by wsxyz ( 543068 ) on Tuesday August 16, 2011 @01:02PM (#37108736)
    That's not true.

    Google is firmly committed to a vendor neutral policy with Android and the Motorola Mobility subsidiary will be firewalled off from Google and independently managed to ensure that stays true.

    In fact, Google would be happy to see their own investments obliterated by their handset competitors... eh, I mean partners... and their own handset division becoming a bottomless cash sink, as long as it helps advance the Android platform.

    So, Microsoft really needs to stop with the FUD and accept that Google really is an altruistic and idealistic organization that truly cares only about making life better for everyone.

    • So, Microsoft really needs to stop with the FUD and accept that Google really is an altruistic and idealistic organization that truly cares only about making life better for everyone.

      Even more than making money? Somehow I doubt that.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by bonch ( 38532 ) *

      What a bunch of fanboy nonsense.

      Google isn't an "altruistic and idealistic organization that truly cares only about making life better for everyone." They're a multi-billion-dollar megacorp whose business is based on a closed-source search-and-advertising platform dependent on selling your personal data to advertising partners. They make sleazy non-neutral internet deals with vendors just to push Android. They withhold Android source from non-privileged partners and ship closed technology like Flash, AAC, a

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by wsxyz ( 543068 )
        You're so wrong.

        In fact, I think it's fair to call Google an "honorary non-profit charity" because, although they aren't "technically" a non-profit charity, they selflessly contribute more to the world than some of those other supposedly non-profit "charities" like, for example, Médecins Sans Frontières.

      • Google isn't an "altruistic and idealistic organization that truly cares only about making life better for everyone." They're a multi-billion-dollar megacorp whose business is based on a closed-source search-and-advertising platform dependent on selling your personal data to advertising partners. They make sleazy non-neutral internet deals with vendors just to push Android. They withhold Android source from non-privileged partners and ship closed technology like Flash, AAC, and MP3 support in Chrome, even a

      • Google isn't an "altruistic and idealistic organization that truly cares only about making life better for everyone.

        And the sky's blue. What new facet are you trying to add here? Did you not catch that the parent was being sarcastic? Being a big company tends to make you less those other things. I don't think anyone here is surprised by it.

        closed-source search-and-advertising platform dependent on selling your personal data to advertising partners.

        Wow, you just won't quit on the social commentary. People are out to make a buck, get use to it. That includes Microsoft, Google, Apple, etc... We here at Slashdot have come to terms with this. We don't like it, we'll fight it anyway possible, but it's always going to be there.

  • Liars (Score:4, Informative)

    by pavon ( 30274 ) on Tuesday August 16, 2011 @01:02PM (#37108746)

    Straight from their own mouth [nokia.com]

    * Nokia will help drive and define the future of Windows Phone.
    * Nokia and Microsoft will closely collaborate on development, joint marketing initiatives and a shared development roadmap

    They are both in bed with a hardware manufacturer now, have both claimed it won't affect other licenses of the OS, and both have something to loose if they alienate the other OEMs.

  • Nice try, and I suppose they had to, but there are two premier platforms in the mobile world in iOS and Android and one is demonstrably closed and the other mostly open and free for manufacturers to put on their devices despite the Motorola takeover which I suspect has more to do with other reasons than Google wanting to make phones. Two platforms are more than enough, and there were even question marks for a while as to whether Android would gain traction and have the developer base of iOS. I just don't se

  • Poor Nokia suffered the Osborne effect (Score:4, Informative)

    by bogaboga ( 793279 ) on Tuesday August 16, 2011 @01:06PM (#37108790)

    Poor Nokia suffered the Osborne Effect [wikipedia.org], whereby sales of current available products plummet after the announcement of un-available 'future' products.

    Things have changed a lot! In my little world, Microsoft is of no consequence, and that's a good thing. I will not touch Microsoft products (including NOKIA), as a matter of principal.

    • Re:Poor Nokia suffered the Osborne effect (Score:4, Interesting)

      by h4rr4r ( 612664 ) on Tuesday August 16, 2011 @01:21PM (#37108970)

      No, poor Nokia suffered the effect of taking MS's money.
      They kill everything they touch.

      Nokia had a good platform and good phone, they gave that away for a little bit of free money now at the expense of their future.

    • In my little world, Microsoft is of no consequence, and that's a good thing. I will not touch Microsoft products (including NOKIA), as a matter of principal.

      It's even better than that for me. Not only won't I touch Microsoft/Nokia products out of principle, I won't touch them because I have absolutely no need for them. Linux and Android fill 100% of my personal and professional needs. I won't use Microsoft/Nokia products because I have far better products already.

  • yep, LOL is appropriate for this.

    wp7 is open equally to everyone - that is it's equally closed to everyone not picked by random chance of circumstances. it's miles more closed than windows ce. and don't get me started on 3rd party devs- basically for symbian, android and even palms there were(are) 3rd party products which simply will not be possible on wp without getting first party involved if you were to port them over to windows phone. and that's not open, that's opposite of open. and open platform is wh

  • Only Windows Phone 7 has the kind of Quality, Stability, Security, Reliability and Robustness that you have come to expect from the Microsoft name.


    (I'll pause for a moment so you can stop laughing.)


    Remember Windows Mobile?

    Sidekick / Danger?

    Windows Kin Phone?

    Remember Microsoft and Sendo? (You can google for it. I said google, not bing.)
  • No matter what Microsoft says, it is obvious why Google bought Motorola.

    Patents.
  • For the fair and even handed way it treats third parties with which it supplies its crufty "solutions" and the people who have the misfortune to purchase the resulting products.

  • Start the Pool (Score:3)

    by chill ( 34294 ) on Tuesday August 16, 2011 @01:29PM (#37109078) Journal

    Considering MS is second only to Apple in outright denials of things they're actively pursuing and ready to pull the trigger on, how long until Microsoft just outright buys Nokia?

  • They keep using that word. I do not think it means what they think it means.

  • Prostitutes is closer to the mark. The referenced article contains this doozy:
    "How would they know for sure that they're getting all the same OS updates as quickly as Motorola?"
    Could the same FUD not be directed at the MS/Nokia love-in?

    The sad part is that Motorola Mobile should now be on death watch.

  • The most popular rap artist is white. The tallest man in the NBA is Chinese. Microsoft is lecturing people on fairness.

    I believe I know why it is so hot in Texas. I'll know for sure if Perry and Buchanan win.

  • How is bankrolling Nokia equality for all partners? Does anyone seriously think Nokia flipped over to Windows Phone without some substantial financial incentives and preferential treatment?

    I think its right to raise concerns about what happens to Android but it's laughable for any analyst to pretend Microsoft is any better.

  • Actually, Meego is arguably the only "neutral" mobile OS these days, since Nokia dropped it there's only really Intel pushing it, and they don't make phones.
    Windows may or may not have a special deal with Nokia...
    Also, Google haven't even completed the purchase of Motorola yet, and who's to tell what their strategy will be once they have?
    They might have bought Motorola purely for the patents, and shut down their (unprofitable) phone design and manufacture business, which would actually benefit rather than h

  • Windows Phone is now the only platform that does so with equal opportunity for all partners - of microsoft

    -> until microsoft tries to screw its partners over, that is.

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