http://gizmodo.com/5950411/translati...into-real-talk
In other words, Microsoft have seen Apple make gobs of cash by keeping the OS, apps and hardware all integrated into the organisation - now Microsoft want to do the same.

Have Microsoft just cut the legs from under Elop?

It's interesting. But I do not think so.

they already make phones.... using Nokia hardware...

doesn't matter. I'm sure they will come up with a surfuce line phone...

Windows needs to flooding the market to gain market share.

Have you seen the new store in windows 8? The one that's the exclusive source for apps on Win8 RT?

If you have, then it's painfully obvious that they want to do everything to emulate Apple's model. It's only logical that the constant failure of WP7+ makes them do the same thing they did with tablets and the Surface.

What they fail to realize that you can't build market share like this. The store's offerings are really pathetic, and developers need to jump hoops just to get in. Doing their own phone won't help that. Especially if they choose to price it like the Surface (premium prices for an inferior product).

Nothing wrong with the store.

Before you crying fail, you have to know what they are trying to do. The goal might not to be the new apple, but to delay movment from windows desktop/servers to other platforms. You do't know for sure what microsoft think is an exceptable level for there overall sales. A phone could defenatly help micrsoft and other Windows vendors, just like Surfuce does, becouse windows can at any give time give the otsource the production to back up vendors, just like google did.

Now, I'm not a micrsoft fan but market defenatly need more ecosystems to make sure android and iOS don't stop to innovate. Mor is better for the endusers, at least 3-5 ecosystems should be helthy.

I agree with you, they are needed.

But even a month after launch their app market's state is still abysmal, crucial apps are missing.
I'm not saying the Surface is bad or anything, I understand what they're trying to do, I just don't agree with the way they're treating developers.
Windows always had great developer support, like the free VS Express editions, etc. Where they fail is that it make it hard for developers even to submit apps for the store. They should make it at least as easy and painless as Android - you just sign up, pay the $20 and you can publish as many apps as you like without limits (with some automatic checking).

MS's biggest problem is the app gap (strictly talking about the store now), they have to make all attempts to close it as fast as possible - and by making it super hard to have apps published is the stupidest thing to do in this intstance.

Being a developer I view stuff from that point of view. I don't have a preference to any of the big players, I develop for the OS that allows my apps to have the largest exposure.
I won't develop for Win(RT) until it has a wide adoption. I won't even consider jumping all the hoops until then.

agreed with dave