Why Microsoft Did Handle Tango and Apollo Brilliantly

Posted by msft777jf on February 27, 2012 05:20 pm 14

I know many of you guys were dejected when you heard the news. Microsoft would have now official presence at MWC. In fact, it is still unclear why the Windows folks are in Barcelona in the first place if there was no phone event. Still, by Microsoft not announcing any big Windows Phone news and at the same time keeping us in a frenzy of a guess-game, Microsoft managed to maintain an intense interest in MWC without ever having to talk about anything. Why would Redmond not go to the problem if explaining Tango or Apollo for us Microsites?

Because it would greatly endanger their existing, and still very fragile Windows phone platform. I have no doubt that if Nokia officials heard that Microsoft was talking about Apollo and enticing us with what it is to come, Nokia officials would scrap the release of the Lumia 900 and be nothing less than offended. After all, Microsoft's position is to be the cheerleader to the Nokia beat and vice versa. Nokia has kept its end of the bargain, releasing astounding, sexy hardware. Nokia now owns title as the premier Windows Phone manufacturer.

Had Redmond satisfied our cravings for Apollo and Tango news, the Lumia 900 would had lost its fire in a moment, almost as quickly as it gained it. Suddenly that awesome Nokia phone would not matter a heck... after all, wouldn't we want to wait, gather our remaining dollars and be ready as soon as Apollo devices shipped. This of course would hurt all of Microsoft Mango partners... something that at this delicate stage, MSFT cannot move. The partnership with Nokia is a dream come true... something that perhaps will never happen again. I strongly contend that MSFT did the right thing- that managed to make news without giving news, knowing full well that if Redmond actually gave news, it would literally be writing the death sentence for its young phone platform.

It is sad and surprising that people expected MSFT to make a big Apollo or Tango announcement... although we are enthusiasts and techies, it is important to keep in mind, that the overall Windows Phone strategy is what is paramount right now. Apollo can wait. Mango is what we have now and it is paramount that we not lose the ground we have made. By trying to make a step forward, we would be taking two steps backward. MSFT did reveal that non-compatible apps will be designated as such for Tango phones and that developers can reconfigure their apps to work well with the Tango phones. Although it is hardly interesting, Tango holds the key to Windows Phone's dominance. It will open the doors for new markets and spread the Windows love around. I wrote this to clarify what some people have distorted. The Microsoft non-event was intentional and strategic. MSFT did the right thing for its Windows Phone strategy and for its customers.