Microsoft encourages employees to be Phone 7 devs
By Jenny • Jul 26th, 2010 • Category: Industry News
- Photo: Microsoft
Microsoft realises that its future lies in two key areas – cloud computing and smart devices, most urgently smartphones. As such the company is dedicating significant resources to both markets, with an internal email indicating every Microsoft employee will receive a Windows Phone 7 Series device.
Unprecedented
Naturally, this unprecedented move has garnered loads of attention for Microsoft, who really are throwing the kitchen sink at mobile and Windows Phone 7 Series. Andy Lees, mobile chief at Microsoft, wrote in an internal memo that he is ‘thrilled to announce that a new Windows Phone 7 will be made available to every Microsoft employee as we launch in each market around the world.’ Generous.
He continued, explaining the first thing he expected Microsoft employees to do upon receipt of the phone was to use it. ‘The experience of Windows Phone 7 is special and a big step toward our future in the mobile phone business. We’d love all of you to love it as much as we on the team love it. To do that we need to you to use your phone and find the things that make it personal and valuable to you,’ he continued.
But why? What’s your motivation?
- Photo: Rebecca McAlpin / Microsoft
Before we credit Microsoft with undue benevolence, what is the true motivation behind this? Product evangelism and app development? Yes on both counts. Andy Lees encourages employees to ‘understand the unique value of Windows Phone 7 and evangelize to your customers, partners, friends and family! Windows Phone 7 is a different kind of phone, designed to bring together the things you care about most.’
He then encouraged MS employees to be Windows Phone 7 app developers, either in their personal capacity or on Microsoft’s time. He adds that ‘[they’ve] introduced a new employee developer program which makes it much easier for you to develop apps for Marketplace in your spare time.’
Whether this, like other MS initiatives, will drive Microsoft employees to become serious Windows Phone 7 app developers remains to be seen. And, more importantly, is whether this will help Microsoft achieve its mobile phone ambitions, because Google and Apple seem intent on running away with this generation’s smartphone spoils.
Tags for this article: smartphones, microsoft
