Microsoft predicted to lag Symbian

[Guest Coucou]

According to an article on ZDNethereMicrosoft smartphones will lag Symbian in popularity for the foreseeable future. It predicts Linux will be the third biggest. I wonder how PalmOne are going to fare? I think it's probably right, as most phone users will continue to trust the big names, like Nokia and Sony Ericsson, who've decided Symbian has more mass-market appeal.

[Guest midnight]

thats totally to be expected, but hopefully ms will convince more manufacturers to adopt the ms smartphone platform. Nokia (if they buy out psalm) would have a huge stake in symbian, and that may upset some of the other manufacturers due to nokia owning over 50% of it (so it is in effect theirs). If this was to be the case i can see more manufacturers take the leap. We'll have to wait and see i guess :)

[Guest chucky.egg]

More variety is the key to keeping manufacturers "honest". I'm not one of the "Nokia Haters", but we need more really new handsets, not just last years model in a new casing.

The advantage of smart OS's is that they tend to be used by more tech-savy people, and most us will see straight through any BS marketing tactics like changing a colour scheme and telling us its new.

I don't see why manufacturers should be limited to one OS - why not make both? I know the R&D costs would be high, but it avoids putting all your eggs in one basket, and it stops any one OS getting a monopoly.

[Guest MECX]

The advantage of smart OS's is that they tend to be used by more tech-savy people, and most us will see straight through any BS marketing tactics like changing a colour scheme and telling us its new.

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Hehe wonder how many people upgraded to the SPVE100 from the SPV :)

[Guest morpheus2702]

I think it is pretty obvious that Symbian will remain the most popular for some time, since really it is becoming Nokia's default OS. The Nokia handsets that are getting the most publicity - the 6600 and NGage - are not really being promoted as Smartphones, rather just the latest hip thing for the Nokia sheep to have.

Things will change if (and when) Nokia take Psions share in Symbian and Symbian becomes Nokia's possession in fact rather than perception. For small phone manufacturers, sure they will carry on licensing it. But I just can't see the bigger players wanting to fund their biggest rival by using Symbian.

[Guest komplex]

Here is a point to note though. Handheld Office Automation development has been increasing for sometime (beside the leisure software of course), and it is in this space that future business related development will excel.

If you think about the increase of PDA’s being purchased by companies to provide their workforce with very portable devices running business automation software and add to that the ease of development for these companies, then expanding this to Smartphones is the next step in this evolution.

Microsoft’s Compact Framework which is now installed in the Smartphone and Pocet PC 2003 ROM’s or available as a RAM loadable installs for older versions makes it easy for most developers (as well as those which tinker) to create feature rich apps with ease.

Developing for the Symbian devices requires experienced developers to knock out quality apps (but well worth the effort for those who are keen).

So in the long haul Symbian will definitely dominate as it has the backing of the big boys (Symbian is owned by Ericsson, Nokia, Matsushita (Panasonic), Motorola, Psion, Siemens and Sony Ericsson I think.) And Microsoft will do as what they always do, bide their time and continue to obtain more partners (Motorola being one now) and keeping their develop environments up to date.

[Guest morpheus2702]

Sorry if it's me, but did that last post make any sense?

If you think about the increase of PDA’s being purchased by companies to provide their workforce with very portable devices running business automation software and add to that the ease of development for these companies, then expanding this to Smartphones is the next step in this evolution.

OK, but don't most companies and their personnel run Microsoft Office products? The logical expansion of 'business automation' is using compatible software? I.e. Microsoft?

Microsoft’s Compact Framework which is now installed in the Smartphone and Pocet PC 2003 ROM’s or available as a RAM loadable installs for older versions makes it easy for most developers (as well as those which tinker) to create feature rich apps with ease.  

Developing for the Symbian devices requires experienced developers to knock out quality apps (but well worth the effort for those who are keen).

Umm so how will this make Symbian dominant if the Net framework is easier to program for? :?:

So in the long haul Symbian will definitely dominate as it has the backing of the big boys (Symbian is owned by Ericsson, Nokia, Matsushita (Panasonic), Motorola, Psion, Siemens and Sony Ericsson I think.) And Microsoft will do as what they always do, bide their time and continue to obtain more partners (Motorola being one now) and keeping their develop environments up to date.

Motorola have already dropped out of Symbian and Nokia look poised to buy Psion's share, which will give them over 60% control (I think). Nokia will dominate the Symbian OS. OK if you are only the OS provider (like MS), but if you manufacture the hardware too they will your rivals really want to buy it from you? :?:

[Guest midnight]

sorry, i said buying out psalm not psion, hehe, oh well, you know what i meant :)

and yeh, if nokia do this, you can bet sony ericsson will definitely use something like the palm os (their clie already uses this), samsung will mostly likely use microsoft i reckon, and so on. of course its all a waiting game, and we'll have to wait and see what happens/if it happens

[Guest mantrac]

Hehe wonder how many people upgraded to the SPVE100 from the SPV :)

Or from the SPV to the E200!

At least Nokia and SE are careful to make sure that their products are working PROPERLY before putting them out in the market and they don't call a software patch a NEW PHONE MODEL!! (see E200)