Combine Google’s ideation abilities and Microsoft’s execution abilities and you’ve got a whole new prospect for the enterprise mobile landscape.
Image: ant - stock.adobe.comThe Android operating system, despite its immense potential, often feels like a missed opportunity. Google’s ambitious strategy of creating an open-source platform with multiple hardware partners seemed poised to revolutionize the mobile device landscape. Yet, seventeen years later, the single-vendor, proprietary iPhone still dominates mobility. Google is a highly innovative company, but often suffers in the execution department. By contrast, Microsoft isn’t particularly innovative, but excels in execution, particularly in enterprise use cases.
The Google-Microsoft DichotomyLet's delve into some illustrative examples. Google Apps, launched in 2006, was a pioneering move—a web-based office productivity suite, when the concept of working in the cloud was still nascent. Though Google Apps couldn’t match Microsoft Office's functionality, it's good enough solution appealed to many individuals and small businesses. Fast forward a few years, Microsoft introduced a web-based version of Office (Office 365) that was far more capabile. Despite arriving late to the party, Microsoft’s iteration was so refined and familiar that it now boasts over 200 million subscribers, generating billions in revenue annually. .Another example: Consider the browser wars. Google recognized the shortcomings of Internet Explorer long before Microsoft did, leading to the development of Chrome. Through its open-source foundation, Chrome catalyzed innovation and quickly became the dominant browser. Microsoft responded by adopting Chromium’s open-source framework for its Edge browser, thereby revitalizing its web presence and ending incompatibilities of the browser wars. Edge has become a robust alternative to Chrome. Another pertinent example is WebRTC. Google’s efforts made this real-time communication protocol a free, browser-based standard. Initially, Microsoft was hesitant, with Lync and Skype for Business lacking WebRTC support. However, Teams extensively leverages WebRTC to deliver video and interoperability with other collaboration platforms. Google Meet on the other hand still only has browser and third party options for its interoperability.
Enter the Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform: Microsoft's Android AmbitionsNow, Microsoft is targeting Android with its Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP). Despite the name’s lack of pizzazz—I expect it will attain market dominance (and undergo multiple rebrands). MDEP represents a strategic maneuver reminiscent of Microsoft’s approach with Chromium.
For those not familiar, Android exists in two forms: a free, open-source version and a proprietary, paid version that includes Google apps and access to the Play Store. The latter is prevalent in Android-based smartphones in the US and Europe, while many Asian vendors prefer the free version, customizing it to access their own app ecosystems.
With the paid version of Android, manufacturers must sign Google's Mobile Application Distribution Agreement (MADA). This version requires bundling Google apps and the Google Mobile Services (GMS) framework. GMS requires users to log into their Google accounts during device setup.
With MDEP though, Microsoft is adopting the free Android framework to develop a Microsoft-sanctioned operating system. In this déjà vu Chrome strategy, Microsoft’s initial focus is on its Teams meeting rooms, where several vendors like Neat and Poly already utilize Android in their hardware. Android’s efficiency and compatibility with low-cost hardware make it ideal for such environments. Microsoft intends to standardize and control Android used in its Teams meeting rooms. By controlling the operating system, Microsoft can better support and secure these rooms as it does with Windows, but at a lower price.
Beyond Meeting Rooms: MDEP’s Broader ImplicationsWhile the current plans to implement MDEP in meeting rooms is intriguing, its potential is far greater. I foresee Microsoft reentering mobility with its own version of Android aimed at business users. This version would integrate with Microsoft applications natively, allowing users to log in with their Microsoft credentials instead of a Google ID. For apps, users could access a new Microsoft app store—let’s tentatively call it the "Work Store." This move could position Microsoft as a mobile player and nudge Google (and its Play Store) further toward consumers.
In 2015, Microsoft wrote off $7.6 billion related to its acquisition of the Nokia phone business and, soon after, killed Windows Phone. Microsoft experimented with making Android phones before (Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2), but those were Google MADA phones that required Microsoft users to use or create Google credentials. In an
interview with Business Insider, CEO Satya Nadella reflected on the company’s mistakes with mobile: “I think there could have been ways we could have made [mobile phones] work by perhaps reinventing the category of computing between PCs, tablets, and phones.”
Microsoft expanding into both Android and smartphones could also be good for hardware partners. Building a sustainable hardware business within the Google ecosystem has proven to be difficult. Many early Android phone manufacturers have faded away, leaving Samsung as the dominant player. In contrast, Microsoft boasts a long history of successful hardware partnerships. Down the road, this MDEP experience could foster a new ecosystem of Android device makers. Lenovo, for example, well established in the Microsoft ecosystem, could leverage its 2014 acquisition of Motorola with a new line of business smartphones.
The Future: Windows and Android SynergyMicrosoft has already made significant strides in integrating Windows with Android, hinting at a cohesive ecosystem. The MDEP initiative could strengthen this synergy, offering businesses a unified, Microsoft-driven mobile experience. Picture a scenario where enterprise smartphones and enterprise IP desk phones powered by MDEP seamlessly integrate with Windows PCs, providing a fluid workflow across devices. Just last week,
Microsoft announced Windows 11 users can wirelessly access (copy, move, delete, and play) files on Android phones.
Microsoft’s foray into the Android ecosystem through MDEP signifies a strategic (and overdue) pivot. By leveraging Android’s open-source nature and marrying it with Microsoft’s execution prowess, MDEP could redefine the enterprise mobile landscape. Android’s potential is still immense, and with Microsoft’s Midas touch, it might finally live up to its promise. Google's inability to capitalize on its ideas might just make room for Microsoft to make Android great again.
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