Windows Phone is not something that stands on its own, Microsoft is building a powerful ecosystem comprising a desktop OS (win8), tablet os (win8), smartphone os (wp8/apollo), gaming platform (xbox), and tying it all together with a cloud infrastructure (skydrive, hotmail, bing, bing maps, etc.). Of course, the desktop/tablet OS and smartphone OS are going to be merged in the long run and it's possible (probable?) that eventually phones will even be able to run the full metro desktop when inserted into a dock, to act as a cheap computer replacement.
Of course, Apple has had this for years, but I think that WP holds some pretty good cards for the long run ...
Windows 8 Phone has nothing to do with Windows 8 Tablet. You have to build from scratch for each. How in the world is that an 'integrated ecosystem'.
I've been to the developers conferences and tried to build products for their launch devices. There is no grand plan, word on important issues come down the pipeline in real time, are later taken back or only addressed when a developers brings up a serious issue.
At close range, it often appears as if the Windows 8 team has no idea what they are doing, and actually two silo'd communities of Mobile and desktop.
>How in the world is that an 'integrated ecosystem'.
It is to the marketing dept.
Suppose you are a huge and stupid corporate or government customer.
Your users want to have smartphones. A MSFT rep convinces you that using Windows is the safe and reliable choice and with Windows 8 you have the same OS 'brand' on your desktop.
The same argument has kept IBM's mainframe salesmen in new cadilacs for decades.
Of course, Apple has had this for years, but I think that WP holds some pretty good cards for the long run ...