Microsoft: Repeating IBM’s OS/2 Mistakes With Windows, Android?
It sounds like Microsoft is working on a dual-boot smartphone strategy that would cover both Google Android and Windows Phone. Um… this strategy sounds a bit like the 1990s, when IBM launched a dual-boot initiative involving OS/2 and Windows. Anybody else remember how that story turned out?
Microsoft’s alleged thinking goes something like this: Partners and customers will have the opportunity to have their Windows Phone with a healthy side of Android to go along with it, suspects Michael Cusanelli — a peer here at The VAR Guy. In theory, that could make Microsoft’s smart phone strategy more attractive in a world where Apple iOS and Android dominate, and Windows is an also-ran laggard (at least in terms of market share).
Deja Vu All Over Again
But here’s the thing: This strategy isn’t unique. Back in the 1990s, IBM called on PC makers to offer dual-boots featuring the company’s OS/2 Warp with Microsoft’s Windows — allowing customers to choose the operating system they most favored. In the rare cases PC makers offer the dual-boot, most customers simply deleted OS/2 from their systems. By the time Windows 95 launched in August of 1995, virtually all PC makers abandoned the dual-boot strategy. And IBM’s own PC business (now owned by Lenovo) got cozy with Windows 95.
Lou Gerstner, CEO of IBM at the time, ultimately re-positioned OS/2 for servers and abandoned the desktop — but even that strategy failed vs. Linux and Windows NT Server. Another IBM strategy — called Workplace OS — called for customers to mix and match operating systems on their PCs. That too failed.
Questions Partners Must Ponder
All this makes The VAR Guy wonder:
- Can Microsoft really make the case for a dual-boot smart phone? Or is this simply the latest case of a struggling operating system maker trying to find a creative way into the market…
- Will resellers and MSPs embrace the strategy, or will dual-boot complicate things like mobile device management (MDM)?
- Will ISVs back the strategy, or will the dual-boot effort further erode confidence in Windows Phone as a development platform — sending more ISVs toward Android?
Hmmm… Plenty to ponder in the days ahead.
Microsoft didn’t “dual boot”
Microsoft didn’t “dual boot” os/2 and windows. The PC always ran multiple operating systems. I think it was launched with PC-DOS and UCSD (I think).
PCs run any operating system you want, DOS, Windows, LINUX, a process that has done us all pretty damm well!
Many points made in this
Many points made in this article draw parallels with the Windows/OS2 and Linux/NT/OS2 fights that do/did not exist. This is revisionist history applied to today’s technology market at its best.
I have owned an HTC WD7 [Gen
I have owned an HTC WD7 [Gen 1 Windows] phone, and currently a Sony Xperia SP Android. The latter is a superior OS and phone. Windows phone will be gone in the not too distant future and Nokia will be all about Android
I would love to have my HTC
I would love to have my HTC Windows Phone 7X dual boot. If the Google nexus 5 was compatible with Verizon I would’ve jumped already.
Getting tired of having to use 3rd party apps. Plus the inability to VPN in from the phone drives me nuts. And can’t use Quickbooks with it, Nest, etc.
Microsoft really wants to push their phones they need to basically pay major vendors to develop the apps for their phones because I’m about to jump ship back to Android.