14 DAY TRIAL // One of the things that have been keeping Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system behind platforms such as Android and iOS is the smaller number of applications available for download for its users, but the company appears determined to change that as soon as possible.
In a meeting last week in Berlin, following the launch of Nokia Lumia 830 and Lumia 730/735 smartphones during the IFA 2014 trade fair, Microsoft’s Florian Seihe, head of Sales for Europe, revealed some info on the company’s position towards the app ecosystem.
The company is pretty happy with the progress it has made so far, since there are over 300,000 applications available for download in the Windows Phone Store at the moment, but it is still focused on increasing that number moving forth.
Microsoft needs to convince major players to launch products on Windows Phone
Due to the smaller number of users that have adopted Windows Phone until now – compared to those on Android or iOS – many software companies tend to release their applications on Microsoft’s OS with delays.
Thus, Android and iOS, currently the two largest mobile platforms out there, are receiving new apps first, and many people tend to buy handsets running under them due to that.
Florian Seihe said that Microsoft was aware of the fact that it had a lot of work to do in order to convince large players in the industry to launch software on Windows Phone, and chances are that it will actually succeed in doing so.
He also noted that Microsoft had a strong position when it comes to productivity on mobile devices, mainly due to Office 365 and other business-oriented applications, and that this would help it in its quest.
The company’s current strategy is mobile first and cloud first, and it has a strong portfolio to build on, especially when cloud is involved. According to Seihe, Microsoft currently has the broadest offering in the cloud and productivity areas.
There's a large program to bring apps to Windows Phone
He also added that the Redmond-based giant had a big program in motion to bring applications to Windows Phone, including software that would allow users to do more with their mobile devices, such as banking apps.
The company is relatively confident with the progress made so far, especially with the fact that it has merged the Windows Phone with Windows code so that developers can build software that targets both platforms much easier than before.
The first applications – called universal apps – that take advantage of this have already arrived in the Windows and Windows Phone Stores, and more of them are expected to arrive soon.
In addition to bringing more apps to Windows Phone, Microsoft is also focused on growing the Windows Phone ecosystem with devices that offer a premium experience and hardware at lower price points, such as the Lumia 830.
The ultimate goal is to be able to take on Android and iOS, but all of these efforts fall in line with the company’s goal to reinvent Microsoft under the “mobile first, cloud first” strategy mentioned above.
There’s no denying that the software giant still has a lot of work to do in this regard, but the large number of vendors that have joined the Windows Phone platform this year suggests that the platform’s growth could accelerate sooner rather than later.