Could Windows 8 Be a Game Changer?

Microsoft could be onto a winner with the launch of its Windows Phone 8 platform, unveiled last night in San Francisco - that's the view of Informa Telecoms & Media principal analyst Malik Saadi.

“The platform is equipped with the right tools to satisfy the market’s appetite for innovation and is a challenge to rivals like Apple's ageing iOS,” says Saadi. “Although the existing Windows Phone 7 platform will be upgraded to include some high-level features of WP8, the true capabilities of this platform will sparkle only when new enabled devices are launched.”

Saadi cautions, though, that this could have a negative impact on sales of existing WP7 smartphones,and especially Nokia's Lumia devices – not just once WP8 launches, but in the meantime, as users and operators hold out for the new devices to hit market. For an OS that's been slowly gathering momentum, that could be lethal. And it's probably not too great for Nokia's already troubled finances either.

But it's full steam ahead for Microsoft, according to Saadi. “While some OEMs have voiced their concern about Microsoft’s close partnership with Nokia, this has not been the only factor that pushed them to limit or discontinue their support to Windows Phone,” he says. “Smartphones running WP7 have been missing some of the most innovative features and functionalities in the market that are necessary to win the heart of advanced users. WP8 addresses the majority of these issues, and could be a game changer.”