Posts Tagged ‘ facebook ’

Skype: A game changing “Microsoft” unit

Skype is a very popular VOIP service which also boosts the largest registered user base in the world, even bigger than Facebook. The latest data suggestes some mindblowing figures about this popular service. Skype is not just popular on desktop but is by far the largest mobile VOIP provider too. Skype has over 50 million active users on iPhones alone. It is very popular on android and its wp7 version is eagerly waited. On desktop it clocked over 200 billion minutes of calling last year. Has over 30 million users using it at any given time. These numbers are impressive and speaks a lot about the companies online power and clientage. Its also very popular among business users and is regarded as the best VOIP solution provider in the world. So Microsoft forked out over $8 billions for the company. The purchase at first seems way over proced but a closer look at the position skyoe enjoyes and microsoft suffers and you have a clear picture as to why Microsoft was so desperate for the company.
Skype gives microsoft instant access to a userbase that is far larger than google managed in 10 years. Add to that the facebook links that microsoft has and the hotmail and live service users and we have Microsoft suddenly sitting at the top of the pile. Lets look at some possible scenarios microsoft can use skype to its own advantage ( They done have anyone watching over them now):

1. Microsoft integrates Skype into its products. Windows, Xbox, Windows live, Lync, Windows Phone and even in Surface. This can be a  huge game changer for Microsoft if it can actually blend all these services together to its own advantage. Microsoft can do this and noone can stop them since google lives the same way. Windows Phone will actually be the hugest benificery and Skype can be Microsoftes online mobile network. Imagine a phone that checks if the person you are calling is on skype and calls him on skype instead of normal mobile call. Or, you can check if the person is available for call by checking his online status. Microsoft in a more aggresive way use skype as a alternate to mobile phone carrier. Use the phone sim free in a business world where most of the employees are using skype. Potentials are limitless for microsoft if it somehow manges to get into some sort of arrangement with the carriers all over the world. Tough but considering its microsoft, not impossible.

2.  Integrate it with facebook and in return get a bigger pie of facebook. Well this kills two birds with one shot. If they can convince the bad boy of the internet to give away 20% of facebook and get full skype integration into facebook, its a “kill shot” against google. Over night we have microsoft the “king of internet” with more than 1 billion users, the hugest online ad-base we have ever seen and a business unit that is powerful enough to take away google’s “bread and butter”. Microsoft can further improve the position if they can get twitter too. The company will cost another 3-4 billion but will essentially suffocate googles future cash flow, but than such a move could backfire as online community doesnot actually like the idea of “microsoft being the king with google running for cover”.

3. Create a global virtual mobile network buying Nokia or HTC and launching phones which use skype to make calls over the data network which can be wi-fi or data plans of carriers. Get into arrangements with network providers with a revenue sharing deals suiting each country. This can create a whole new “microsoft” alltogether.

Lastly, all these ideas may seem far fetched but considering microsoft is not using its position to its own advantage, I dont see any hurdle except for the fact, too many companies will suffer from such an integration and hence, enemy of my enemy is my friend can come to play helping google or network providers more than actually helping microsoft. At this moment, with mobile phones becoming more popular and powerfull, microsoft cannot alienate the network providers or get into another legal battle, I doubt they will do any such thing but one thins is sure, when BILL GATES supports and encourages something for Microsoft, it is best for the company.

Do you people think microsoft can do this? Are you excited about skype becoming more part of windows enviornment and our lives? Don’t you guys think, Microsoft deserves a chance to take some shots at google if given a fair chance? Are you too of the view that Microsoft should be allowed to do things that helps them rather than there competitor, they worked hard to reach the position of dominance so they have every tight to enjoy it (something US does so frequently)?

2011
05/21
CATEGORY
My favourite
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Oh! I use WP7

When Microsoft released the windows phone 7 series in early 2010, I was watching it online and was very eager to learn how and when will I see the phone OS that I would be using for the future, not because I knew that it would be awesome but because I am a Microsoft fan boy. I have no calms about it. The OS is sleek, no doubts about it. The interface is silky smooth with zero lag. The integration is awesome and gives you every reason to appriciate. There are a lot of elements in the phone that stand out of the crowd. The type-based interface, the lack of 3D or even shiny icons, the simple yet intutive way to interact and the tile based design stands out for me. So, last year when the phones where launched, I got myself a HTC HD7, the beast of a phone. Its huge, its sleek and it has the perfect OS for me. The phone is suprisingly solid and I had very few instances of it being sluggish, hanging or getting bricked, something we are very used to in a microsoft products. Microsoft have changed themselves. The 7 series, the desktop and phone both are awesome products. I have never had even a single occasion where I had to reboot my system. I had a few occasions with the WP7, but considering it the Ver 1, I am really happy with the product. But all is not well, specially the future of the product.

1. The updates are becoming an issue and I feel Microsoft is not doing much on its part here. They are just sitting and are very relaxed.  Now considering they have failed to create any enthusiasm about the product,  by caring for the product they can send the write message accross the board.

2. The OS seems to have failed to generate any interest among the people who will actually buy it. The mobile retailers are not showing any interest either in making sure people get to know the phones and the OS. The marketing strategies are failing and they need to take action immidietly.

3. Microsoft is not trying to go global, most of the services are very local, limited to USA. The voice features, the bing functionality and the marketplace availabilty is very limited.

4. Loads of restrictions have been imposed into the OS to make the experience similar, but i dont think someone with a dwindling market presence can impose such restrictions.

5. Microsoft need to bring the features fast, they dont have to show people something that will come at the end of the year, in January. I mean whats the point of showing IE9, multi-tasking and Kinect support in the phone OS in Jan when there are no near future plans of rolling them out. This will only keep the new prospects wait more. Already a lot of people are waiting for the OS to mature and doing this only validates there wait and makes us the buyers fool.

Besides the above, a lot of other things need to be looked at. But, I feel when you have your heart set at something, you try really hard to acheive it. Success for me is not being number 1. Being there and trying your heart out is what matters the most. At this point of time, I really feel microsoft is trying a lot to get into the market and I am ready to support them. I am standing for the product, the technology and its future. And I have a few points to suggest.

Firstly, please make the OS rock solid, reliable, smooth, fast, solid all the time, everytime and for years. Secondly, improve the quality and speed of apps like twitter, facebook, foursquare and add apps like fring, skype and qik. Thirdly add turn-by-turn navigation of around the world and not just USA. Same goes for bing. Fourth, improve relations with big app makers and convince them to put there efforts on wp7. Fifth, browser , make it super powerful and IE9 is a step in the right direction. Sixth, multi-tasking along with a few killer features which can blow up a few minds. Last and most important, improve the image of the phone, get loads of publicty by online resources and other medias. Make people talk about it.

I am not a marketing guru, but I have got a taste of marketing through my observation. And I am of firm believe, google or android or apple or iOS are nothing but very strong and good marketing made possible by people who may not love these products as much as they hate microsoft and its products. All microsoft and the marketing team has now left to do is find those people who do the complete opposite and also convince those people that you have changed and want a fair chance to prove that, rest all will be good.

2011
03/27
CATEGORY
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