Microsoft: Android is so big, I want to occupy it too

[[149270]]

According to foreign technology media VentureBeat, Microsoft has quietly acquired the startup Double Labs, which developed an Android lock screen application called Echo Notification Lock screen, which allows users to read messages and notifications normally even when the smartphone or tablet screen is locked.

For a tech giant like Microsoft, acquiring a small company is not a big deal; but this acquisition easily reminds us of Microsoft's frequent moves in the Android field in recent years. Behind these series of moves, Microsoft actually carries the ambition of "entering Android in an all-round way" under a new development strategy.
Mobile first, Android first

There is no doubt that Microsoft is still the undisputed leader in the field of desktop operating systems; however, in the field of mobile operating systems, Microsoft is a genuine younger brother, and Android's position in the field of mobile operating systems is just like Windows in the field of desktop operating systems. So when Microsoft decided to get involved in the Android camp under the development strategy of "mobile first, cloud first", its identity could only be a powerful developer.

Because of this, as a developer, Microsoft must bring its other office software, cloud storage and other services to Android in addition to the operating system. Therefore, Microsoft first officially released Office for Android tablets in April this year, and then launched Office for Android smartphones at the end of June this year; both include three independent Word, Excel and PowerPoint applications, and are completely free. In addition to Office software, Microsoft also optimized and upgraded its cloud storage tool OneDrive based on Android's interface style and interaction method.

In this way, Microsoft has actually established a relatively independent and self-sufficient office application group on the Android system through Office and OneDrive to realize document viewing, editing, cloud storage and sharing. This group can help users realize document functions simply and efficiently. Coupled with Microsoft's deep accumulation and huge influence in the field of desktop Office, the Android version of Office is very popular among users and is almost the first choice for Android users when operating documents.

In addition to the killer Office, Microsoft has also launched applications such as Bing Search and Bing Dictionary on Android. However, since Microsoft does not have an advantageous position in the related fields behind these applications, the nature of these applications is more like providing users with more usage options, and is not enough to cause a substantial impact on Google behind Android.

However, Microsoft has not given up on Android. All the apps that were previously only available on Windows Phone, such as OneNote, Outlook, Office Lens, and Microsoft Account, have now appeared on Android. Even Microsoft's highly acclaimed high-tech voice assistant, Cortana, has begun internal testing on Android.

At this point, Microsoft's purpose is actually very clear. In the traditional Internet era, Microsoft added many additional Microsoft services on top of the Windows operating system; and relying on its actual monopoly on the Windows operating system, these services were naturally accepted and used by many Windows users. In this way, Microsoft is indeed everywhere on traditional PCs. In the mobile Internet era, Microsoft no longer has an advantage in the field of mobile operating systems, and those Microsoft services that originally relied on the distribution of the Windows operating system no longer have natural user acceptance.

Therefore, in order to continue to gain users in the mobile and mobile Internet era, Microsoft's best approach is to separate these Microsoft services and make them appear on other platforms in the form of independent applications. These applications combined together are actually a "Microsoft service island floating on the Android ocean". Although the influence of this "Microsoft service island" is not as great as before, it cannot be ignored.

Simply put, Microsoft is trying to gain presence and user engagement on Android by developing various applications equipped with Microsoft services, so as to continue to maintain user brand loyalty and stickiness. This approach is compensatory, but very necessary; it is fully in line with Microsoft's new strategy of "mobile first, cloud first".
Microsoft's ambitions

But if we simply think that Microsoft just wants to be a developer quietly on Android, we are wrong; in fact, Microsoft has greater ambitions for Android.

Let's take a look at Microsoft's layout on Android from the following business actions:

1. Acquisition of Acompli

In early December 2014, Microsoft announced the acquisition of Acompli, an Android and iOS email client, in an attempt to enhance the user experience of its Outlook app on Android and iOS. Sure enough, in March 2015, Microsoft launched a new version of Outlook app on the Android platform, and Acompli stopped service; the new version of Outlook inherited Acompli's simple interface and many features such as email filtering and diary, which greatly improved the user experience.

Given the importance of email to users in the mobile Internet era, Microsoft's intention in launching the new Outlook for Android is not just to provide email sending and receiving services. For users, a mailbox means an online identity ID; and this ID is used in various online services selected by the user. Therefore, the reason why Microsoft is so dedicated to improving the user's email experience is essentially to win users in the Android field.

2. Acquisition of Double Labs

Around the time when Windows 10 desktop version was released at the end of July, Microsoft began internal testing of an Android desktop launcher called Arrow. Regardless of the specific user experience of Arrow Launcher, it clearly exposed Microsoft's ambition to "occupy the Android desktop". The essence of Android launcher is to customize and improve the user experience of the Android system in terms of interface style and interaction mode; and Arrow Launcher is undoubtedly Microsoft's most conspicuous and aggressive intervention in Android.

Needless to say, Microsoft's intention in acquiring Double Labs is self-evident. Microsoft is actually trying to improve the user experience of Arrow Launcher through the acquisition of Double Labs; this is exactly the same as Microsoft's previous acquisition of Acompli to improve Outlook.

3. Collaboration with Cyanogen

At present, the latest news about the cooperation between Microsoft and Cyanogen is: just a few days ago, foreign media reported that Cyanogen plans to deeply integrate Microsoft's voice assistant Cortana into Cyanogen OS. It is not difficult to remind us that in April this year, Cyanogen had reached a pre-installation agreement with Microsoft to pre-install and deeply integrate a series of Microsoft's software and services including Office, Outlook, Skype, Onedrive, etc. into its deeply customized operating system based on Android, Cyanogen OS.

In this way, at least on Cyanogen OS, Microsoft's series of supporting services including voice assistant are enough to replace Android's "real father" - Google. You know, Cyanogen has now become the most influential third-party Android ROM customizer in the world, and its customers include Indian local mobile phone manufacturer Micromax and Chinese mobile phone manufacturer ZUK. This means that through cooperation with Cyanogen OS, Microsoft has actually "occupied" part of the Android "territory" that originally belonged to Google.

4. Pre-install Office on Android tablets from more than 20 manufacturers

In May this year, Microsoft announced that it had signed contracts with more than 20 hardware partners to sell Android tablets pre-installed with Microsoft applications; the relevant applications include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, OneDrive and Skype.

The conclusion of this contract is actually another powerful move for Microsoft to expand its influence in the Android field through commercial behavior.
summary

It is hard to say whether Android's openness is a good thing or a bad thing for Google: on the one hand, Google has gained great influence in the mobile Internet era through Android; on the other hand, Google has also lost its actual control over Android. Microsoft took this opportunity to invade the Android field and staged a good play of "occupying the magpie's nest".

Perhaps it is difficult for Microsoft's own mobile operating system Windows Phone (later renamed Window 10 Mobile) to break the current mobile operating system landscape dominated by iOS and Android; but Microsoft can still continue to realize its dream of changing the world in the Android field through this series of actions. After all, Android is so open that Microsoft can also play with it.