Quote:
Originally Posted by Jsunu
I hate Microsoft's stance on closed software systems. I understand with Apple because they are the only manufacturer of their device, and thereby is able to make these devices closed to any modification.
But with MS, multiple companies develop phones for WP7 which can mean they can only really define themselves through hardware. While I understand they want to prevent the fragmentation and inconsistancy they experienced before, they should allow for slight variations (like sense UI from HTC, which is pretty awesome IMO).
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A closed stance means consistency. If you followed the death of J2ME, among many other things, was the issue of fragmentation. Over the years, it became too diverse, and therefore, harder to develop for.
WM 5/6, while being closed, still left lots of room for manufacturers to include their own drivers in the ROM itself, and being a Windows platform, it was also easy to develop for (talking mostly B2B here).
Android is a great platform, but definitely has the potential to suffer from the same kind of fragmentation that assisted J2ME's death. Although I'm sure Google has some plans for that.
Nokia was clearly, quickly, losing market share, and on the same path, it's debatable where they would be at the end of 2011, nevermind 2012.
As a developer for J2ME, BB, iPhone, Android, and WM 5/6, I'm not sure yet what to think of their move to WP7. I would definitely say that potential is there, but only time will tell us how they execute it.