Why is it a mistake to assume once again that Microsoft will be a failure in the mobile market. The past 13 years says a lot.
Windows CE Devices - Fail
Pocket PCs - Fail
Windows Mobile Smartphones - Fail
Kin - Fail
And not a phone, but the Zune is just about dead. On to Tablets. Microsoft made a lame attempt with this back in 2002 with Windows XP Tablet PC Edition and that flopped. Microsoft has no business in the mobile market, and history suggests the same and it’s been proven time after time people don’t want their stuff. As I said above, who cares which or how many manufactures will be offering Windows phones when overall market share is what matters. I don’t see people waiting in lines to get the latest WP7 device, hell when I’m out and about I’ve seen exactly zero people using them, and I pay attention to this stuff pretty closely. Other than a 2 month blitz of AT&T commercials, there has been no real Windows Phone 7 marketing. No one is jumping ship from Blackberry, iOS or Android to WP7. No one gets excited over Windows Phones, there’s no press about them. People just don’t give a hoot about them. WP is already avalable in about 30 countries and and doubt a partnership with Nokia (didn't even know they were still in business) will give them the marketshare needed to sustain the platform.
Personally I’ve played with AT&Ts three WP7 phones and while I like the HTC Surround from a hardware perspective, I can’t stand the user interface of Windows Phone and its boring. Microsoft should just stick to Windows, Office and the Xbox. And hey they might have finally got the Xbox 360 right as reports of the red ring of death have dramatically slowed down. Way to go Microsoft, only took 5 years!
Smartphone outlook for the next 5 years. Android will continue to increase and then level out. Apple and Google will continue to dominate the market, while Blackberry will stil have a place in business. Web OS will remain a niche and Windows Phone will either go away or there will be yet another reincarnation of it that no one wants.