14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is no longer a company that’s focused exclusively on Windows and Office, but a devices and services firm whose product portfolio includes solutions aimed at a wide variety of platforms.
The demise of Windows Phone, however, has created on big hole in this rich portfolio I mentioned above, leaving Microsoft without a mobile platform that could have helped the software giant expand beyond the desktop.
Under the guidance of Satya Nadella, however, Microsoft has tried a completely different approach, one that does not involve having your very own mobile operating system.
And this strategy came down to becoming super-committed to Android and iOS, something which in the early days was considered a blasphemy for hardcore fans who just couldn’t let Windows Phone go.
As a software company at its core, full commitment to other mobile platforms pretty much required Microsoft to invest aggressively in apps and services supposed to run on Android devices and iPhones, while at the same time working together with manufacturers that were previously considered rivals.
Part of this strategy was a collaboration with Samsung. The world’s number one smartphone manufacturer started selling its devices in Microsoft Stores in the United States, only for the software giant to pre-install some of its apps, including here Office, OneDrive, and Skype, on Samsung devices.
Several other Android devices made their way to the Microsoft Store as well, including the Razer Phone, and I wouldn’t be too surprised if more hit the shelves at the company’s locations in the coming months.
But the best way to measure how Microsoft is doing in the Android world is to look at the apps that the company has already published in the Google Play Store.
Microsoft watchers certainly observed that the company keeps rolling out updates for its Android apps at a super-fast pace, and this includes not only bug fixes and improvements to further refine the experience overall, but also big new features like the dark mode for Outlook.
This promise for frequent updates and the company’s willingness to get in touch with users, listen to what they say, and then implement some of their feature request in Android apps is paying off, and the download stats in the Google Play store are living proof. Here’s a quick summary of the top Microsoft apps that are currently available for download on Android and the current number of downloads:
| Microsoft Launcher - 10,000,000+ Microsoft Outlook - 100,000,000+ Microsoft Edge - 10,000,000+ Your Phone - 10,000,000+ Microsoft Word - 1,000,000,000+ Microsoft Excel - 500,000,000+ Microsoft OneDrive - 500,000,000+ Microsoft Authenticator - 10,000,000+ Skype - 1,000,000,000+ |
So why is this good for everyone? you may ask. There are two answers to this question.
Without a mobile platform of its own, being so committed to Android and iOS means Microsoft customers are provided with an easy way to access their services regardless of the operating system they use. Both Android and iOS dominate not only the consumer market but also the enterprise, and given Microsoft’s increased focus on the latter, its always-growing mobile app portfolio is a win-win.
And then, as one of the leading software companies out there, Microsoft investing in Android and iOS help the two ecosystems grow even further, while providing everyone with often-innovative solutions in a wide variety of industries, again tackling both consumers and enterprise.
At first glance, Microsoft’s mobile strategy is truly working, and while some call for the company to release its own Android device, I’m not sure anyone at the Redmond giant is willing to take this risk. Sticking with apps and services works like a charm, and bringing Android and iOS in sync with Windows and the desktop world allows Microsoft to reduce the impact the lack of a mobile platform could generate.