Microsoft may need to buy a cell phone maker in order to compete in the highly volatile market. Although Microsoft has announced the new platform, Windows Phone Series 7 (WinPho 7), it may need to buy RIM BlackBerry or possibly Nokia to stay in the game. (Experts think it would be cheaper to buy HTC, however, with more marketability.)
Windows Phone Series 7 may not save Microsoft
Unless most of its competitors, Microsoft doesn’t make its own devices. RIM, Palm, Apple, Nokia and Google all make their own Smartphones, but Microsoft relies on others to market the Windows operating system on cell phones.
Microsoft doesn’t need to buy a cell phone manufacturing company. It doesn’t actually make the Zune or XBox 360 either. In addition, Microsoft is keeping the Mobile 6.5xx around for a while, possibly renaming it Windows Mobile Classic. The “Classic” may appeal to the Enterprise crowd more than WinPho 7, which uses more of an iPhone style form factor.
Is Microsoft in a sinking ship? Not likely. With their vast resources, they just need to refocus their attention. Perhaps a new partnership would be better than going into the cell phone manufacturing business.
