The main problem standing between Windows Phone and market success is that Microsoft handled the transition to touch devices both badly, and differently, across a nominally "all-Windows" product line.
To start with, calling WP7 "Windows" was a travesty. Microsoft thereby only reached the starting line of this race with WP8, in Ocetober 2012. Very late compared to rivals, and rough.
"Modern" or "Market" apps can't do what legacy apps can do. It's hard for those two different types of apps to communicate. Even if apps are compiled to MSIL, legacy apps can't run on ARM devices.
That only scratches the surface of how complex and needlessly restrictive the app development landscape is for something that is all called "Windows" and that has a large amount of code and technology in common.
Microsoft makes developers bear the highest burden in figuring out "What is an optimal development approach for all these things called Windows?" and provides the lowest number of potential customers.
On top of that uncertainty is uncertainty about devices: Does Microsoft want OEMs, or are they going to build their own devices? Are the devices they have built so far established a good track record? Are their OEMs enthusiastic or are they wary and looking for an exit strategy? The question all these other questions lead up to is "Does Windows Phone have a future?"
To start with, calling WP7 "Windows" was a travesty. Microsoft thereby only reached the starting line of this race with WP8, in Ocetober 2012. Very late compared to rivals, and rough.
"Modern" or "Market" apps can't do what legacy apps can do. It's hard for those two different types of apps to communicate. Even if apps are compiled to MSIL, legacy apps can't run on ARM devices.
That only scratches the surface of how complex and needlessly restrictive the app development landscape is for something that is all called "Windows" and that has a large amount of code and technology in common.
Microsoft makes developers bear the highest burden in figuring out "What is an optimal development approach for all these things called Windows?" and provides the lowest number of potential customers.
On top of that uncertainty is uncertainty about devices: Does Microsoft want OEMs, or are they going to build their own devices? Are the devices they have built so far established a good track record? Are their OEMs enthusiastic or are they wary and looking for an exit strategy? The question all these other questions lead up to is "Does Windows Phone have a future?"