Forbes: Microsoft really, really, really wants you to ditch Apple & Google

[satam55]

Microsoft To Offer Cash For Your iPhone With Trade-In Program
Kelly Clay, Contributor 9/24/2013 @ 7:04PM

Microsoft really, really, really wants you to ditch Apple products for its own – so much that in addition to the iPad buyback program it launched a few weeks ago, the company will start buying your iPhones for cash beginning this Friday. The program will offer consumers a minimum of $200 for an iPhone 4S or iPhone 5 in select Microsoft retail stores in the US and Canada.

According to an inside source at Microsoft, Microsoft Stores will begin giving a minimum $200 in-store credit (as a Windows Store gift card) for iPhones on Friday as part of its “#timetoswitch” campaign, obviously hoping consumers will use the cash to buy a Windows Phone. For the past few weeks, Microsoft has been running a similar trade-in campaign enabling consumers to “trade-in” iPads for cash to encourage consumers to buy Microsoft’s Surface tablets. The company also launched an online campaign in the past few weeks enabling consumers to trade in any Apple, Android or Blackberry Device for a Visa gift card. Unlike the current iPad campaign and the iPhone campaign which are limited to stores in the US and Canada (meaning you must make the trade at a Microsoft store), the online campaign is open to “anyone that’s ready to trade up to an amazing new Microsoft device.”

While Microsoft is making a huge international push to persuade users it’s “#timetoswitch” to Windows Phones, this trade-in program may be a little too late. Apple’s impressive sales figures of the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C in the past few days mean millions of consumers are not only freshly tied into new contracts but overtly prefer the iOS platform over Windows as they waited to purchase the new line of iPhones – and avoided purchasing a Windows Phone when they had the chance.

That said, for iPhone 4 or iPhone 5 owners who were too budget-conscious to upgrade to an iPhone 5S or 5C, Microsoft’s iPhone trade-in program may be enticing enough to make that switch to a Windows Phone. With a minimum of $200 in credit, these consumers desiring one of the hottest new phones on the market can now afford it – even without breaking contract. (Of course, if you just so happen to have an extra iPhone lying around the house and don’t want another phone, the credit is technically for anything in the store — not just a Windows Phone.)

While it seems borderline desperate, Microsoft’s program to trade in iPhones for Windows Phones could be a marginal success in edging Windows Phones further into the mainstream. Though they only have a very, very small marketshare now, it’s possible that programs like this – and its acquisition of Nokia could push Microsoft into competitive territory with Apple and Google

Or, at least, I’m sure that’s what Microsoft is hoping.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellycl...wittersf&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

They desperate, yung.

 

[Swiggy]

They gonna offer nikkas blow and whores to trade in a PS4 for $50 off a XboxUno

 

[iceberg_is_on_fire]

They have my gaming money but I can't help them with my phone and tablet. Google is the most important company in the world. I use their maps, I use Google Now, I use Google drive. This could have been them but they were late to the party with all of this. I'm too invested into the ecosystem to switch. Besides, we see more innovation due to XDA and stuff on the Android side.

 

[Reality]

sold their stock just in time.

i really do think this company is fukked w/out a gamebreaker product.

 

[satam55]

They have my gaming money but I can't help them with my phone and tablet. Google is the most important company in the world. I use their maps, I use Google Now, I use Google drive. This could have been them but they were late to the party with all of this. I'm too invested into the ecosystem to switch. Besides, we see more innovation due to XDA and stuff on the Android side.

This!!!! This is why it's laughable that @Hiphoplives4eva & @Liquid actually think Windows Phone & RT can overtake Android. Y'all need to watch this video (Starting at the 1:22:14 mark):

 

[Liquid]

I never said windows phone can get bigger than Android and Windows RT is garbage

 

[Golayitdown]

They still aren't offering anything that makes the average consumer want to switch. Some of their hardware is great, but there's nothing that MS does (in the cell phone world) that stands out. It seems like they are constantly screaming "we're not Android or IOS" but that's not a good thing when those two essentially cover the spectrum of users. They came *back* in the game very late and instead of studying the flaws of the competition and hitting the sweet spot with features and functionality from both with a couple of innovative enhancements, it seemed like they started fresh like this was a 3 man race. Now they're in this weird spot where they can't convince people to switch even though they have a decent product.

 

[Liquid]

They still aren't offering anything that makes the average consumer want to switch. Some of their hardware is great, but there's nothing that MS does (in the cell phone world) that stands out. It seems like they are constantly screaming "we're not Android or IOS" but that's not a good thing when those two essentially cover the spectrum of users. They came *back* in the game very late and instead of studying the flaws of the competition and hitting the sweet spot with features and functionality from both with a couple of innovative enhancements, it seemed like they started fresh like this was a 3 man race. Now they're in this weird spot where they can't convince people to switch even though they have a decent product.

I have been seeing more people with Windows Phone so it IS getting them more market share, but its a slow burn.

What Microsoft did is clear and Ballmer's vision although a big gamble might save them as the desktop OS continues to fade away.

They had 4 markets they wanted to target with 1 interface:
Desktop - The workers, people who still prefer to be on a big screen at home
Surface Tablets - People who don't want to carry around a laptop, but need something a little more powerful than a tablet. They should have not bothered with the Surface RT and focused on trying to get that Surface Pro cheaper.
Windows Phone - People who are tired of iOS and Android and want a simple phone
Gamers - XBOX One (This was their biggest failure so far because of their PR)

I think ultimately if things pan out well for Microsoft their market share percentages will look like this:
Desktop - Will continue to dominate, but shrink down to about 70% as Google and Valve enter the market
Tablets - I think the real Windows 8 tablets can get about 25% market share once the eco system is fleshed out
Windows Phone - 18%-20%
XBOX One - 40% if they can ever rebound from their PR disaster

People just like to use things that they are familiar with and Microsoft has a large enough reach that they can get their products out to many people. I hope they continue with that cheap Nokia Lumia line because it has sold big because of that $100 price tag...those are the commercials they should be promoting...not a terrible Surface vs Siri Ad that looks like it was done by some amateur YouTube user bored in the middle of the night.

 

[DMR]

I dont think anything can decrease Microsoft dominance in desktop PC, people are too invested in Windows + there are too many applications only for Windows. OS X has tried for years and it has what 10-15% of the market?

For Microsoft to fare better in tablets and smartphones they should really drop prices, i.e. wack ass RT tablets should cost no more than 100$.

IMO big mistake for their smartphone OS was dropping support for windows mobile 6.x and earlier compatible apps, then again with wm 7 when wm 8 came out. They could have app store that rivals Apple and Google instead of their one.

 

[Liquid]

I dont think anything can decrease Microsoft dominance in desktop PC, people are too invested in Windows + there are too many applications only for Windows. OS X has tried for years and it has what 10-15% of the market?

For Microsoft to fare better in tablets and smartphones they should really drop prices, i.e. wack ass RT tablets should cost no more than 100$.

IMO big mistake for their smartphone OS was dropping support for windows mobile 6.x and earlier compatible apps, then again with wm 7 when wm 8 came out. They could have app store that rivals Apple and Google instead of their one.

Google and Valve.

Google WILL because they just innovate at a faster rate than Microsoft and the inevitable Chrome/Android merge
Valve CAN because they are completely dominant in PC gaming, they can freely promote their services to millions of active users anytime they log out of a game...worldwide.

It's not a matter of IF for Microsoft, but WHEN. They will still have the dominant marketshare in the PC, but that is inevitably going to shrink. Too many people don't associate "cool" with Windows anymore

 

[DMR]

Google and Valve.

Google WILL because they just innovate at a faster rate than Microsoft and the inevitable Chrome/Android merge
Valve CAN because they are completely dominant in PC gaming, they can freely promote their services to millions of active users anytime they log out of a game...worldwide.

It's not a matter of IF for Microsoft, but WHEN. They will still have the dominant marketshare in the PC, but that is inevitably going to shrink. Too many people don't associate "cool" with Windows anymore

All of their features will be available to Windows users too, plus countless other apps and features that people are used to. Microsoft dominance will shrink, but not by much.

 

[Liquid]

All of their features will be available to Windows users too, plus countless other apps and features that people are used to. Microsoft dominance will shrink, but not by much.

Can't predict with the way things are shifting. I am thinking 70% or maybe a bit lower, but who knows at this point.

Microsoft's dominance will be in the work space, but in the consumer market? Not looking good

 

[newarkhiphop]

@Hiphoplives4eva

 

[Hiphoplives4eva]

This!!!! This is why it's laughable that @Hiphoplives4eva & @Liquid actually think Windows Phone & RT can overtake Android. Y'all need to watch this video (Starting at the 1:22:14 mark):

Man fukk the verge. Those are the biggest collection of apple fanboys on the web. LMAO at using them as a sign of a trend.

 

[Why-Fi]

for cash, visa cards? wow they are going lose a lot of money...