Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Series Is Programmed To Fail

Microsoft is shooting at its own foot, with a double barrel gun. The company has recently announced the latest version of their mobile phone operating system. The name of Microsoft's mobile OS is the most interesting name ever: 'Windows Phone 7 Series'; Bada, Android and the likes appear so 'unBing' and boring compared to the short and crisp 'Windows Phone 7 Series'.

The two bullets that Microsoft shot at its feet are:

1)  Windows Phone 7 Series is a non-free or Slaveware* operating system. That means OEMs don't get to see the code. OEMs can not customize or tweak the software to meet their customer's needs. 
 
2) Licence Fee. Microsoft's deep pockets owe a lot to the heavy license fee Microsoft charges for its Operating Systems and Office Suites. Windows Phone 7 Series continues to follow the same pattern. OEMs will have to pay a license fee to Microsoft to use the operating system, along with the conditions that they can't change the code.

Major mobile phone operating systems, including Android, Symbian, Bada and now MeeGo are Muktware* (or Open Source) operating systems. Access to the code and ability for an OEM to modify it offers great customization.

Since there is no license fee attached with these operating systems, OEMs save that cost. They can either invest this saving in customizing the phone to enhance user's experience or pass it on to the users and cut price of the phone, thus making it more affordable.
 
Of-course, there are a lot of 'partnerships' where OEMs are 'forced' to buy some licenses from Microsoft. Otherwise, no OEM in the sanest state of mind would choose a closed, expensive, locked-in operating system which is losing market share (Gartner report) to something you have complete control over.
 
Lack of innovation:
Innovation is another area where Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 Series will lose. The Muktware or Open Source community has come together to create apps for Linux based Mobile phones. Forces like Intel, Nokia are joining hands. These industry movements are going to redefine the mobile scenario.  There will be,  (in fact there already are, check out Google's latest Apps for Android) much more powerful and innovative applications on Linux platform; something Windows Phone 7 Series customers will stay deprived of. It is certainly not for home users.
 
Not for enterprise customers:
Windows Phone 7 Series may prove to be a bad choice for enterprise customers due to lack of control over the device. Also a lot of Microsoft's fortified technologies can't talk to a lot of newly evolving Muktware (Open Source) technologies.

The development in the Muktware (Open Source) space is far more dynamic, robust and updated as compared to the one in the Microsoft world. Thus an enterprise customer would be more comfortable using a phone which he has complete control over and the one which saves cost. Windows Phone 7 Series doesn't meet both these requirements.

Microsoft is left alone with its Flintstones aged business and development model. I don't know much about the future of Windows Phone 7 Series. But I did read somewhere about the 'Survival of the fittest'.

Microsoft seems to be lagging in the race of evolution.

* Slaveware: Antonym of Muktware
* Muktware: Guided by the freedom laid by the FSF.