Marketing Design and Innovation at the Windows Phone (GC045)
1.0 Introduction
The rapid changes in technological development, volatile economy, and competitive marketplaces have made the products and services lifecycles short. In consequence, manufacturers need to continue their research and development to bring innovativeness and creativity in their products and services (Palmer, 2010).
The definition of product innovation focuses on a number of issues. Firstly, it means to be different as new in the marketplace. Secondly, the new product should be creative and the existing ones should be improved as customer requirements. Thirdly, manufacturers must have expertise on a product in new concepts, formulas, ingredients, design, packaging, flavors, fragrances, prices. Fourthly, manufacturers have to track customer responses, identify and explain the weaknesses included in the particular products, and be able to overcome the weaknesses to meet customer expectations (Zhang and Ma, 2007).
The study hare has focused on a particular product called ” Windows Phone” developed by Microsoft to analyze and evaluate its innovation process in its lifecycle. The researcher has investigated how Windows Phone has altered its lifecycle since its introduction to meet the customer changing needs and expectations. Then, the critic has evaluated the advantages and values of the Windows Phone as a product derived by consumers. Next, the critic has evaluated the Windows Phone’s uniqueness in design, shape, color, weights, features, applications, facilities, etc. In conclusion, the critic has evaluated the brand appeal of Windows Phone in comparison with competitors.
1.1 Company background
Microsoft is the world-leading multinational computer technology company established in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. It manufactures, licenses develop and supports software products for computing devices. The key products of Microsoft are Microsoft Windows Operating System, productivity software including Microsoft, entertainment games such as Xbox, Bing, music and video, and search engine. In a word, Microsoft is the portmanteau of words- microcomputer and software It serves millions of consumers over the world by nearly 130,000 dedicated and devoted workforces and gained $86.83% billion in sales revenue only in 2014. Microsoft captured 90% market share of the globe’s personal computers during the 1990s when it launched a wider range of Microsoft Windows versions (Microsoft, 2014).
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1.2 Introduction to the chosen product
Windows Phone has been developed as a family of mobile operating systems by Microsoft. This Smartphone has been replaced by Zune and Windows Mobile. It used a metro design language to feature a new user interface. The first Windows Phone was introduced in 2010 and primarily aimed at personal customer market segments, Windows Mobile had targeted enterprise markets. Microsoft announced a partnership with Nokia declaring that Windows Phone would be the primary Smartphone operating system for Nokia (Microsoft, 2014).
1.3 Why Windows Phone is considered an innovative product
Windows Phone has been considered a creative and innovative product. It first launched in 2010 in the replacement of Windows Mobile and Zune. It has brought changes and innovations in its features including color, designs, size, weight, functions, etc for many times from 2010 to 2014 meeting the customer requirements including their needs and expectations (Microsoft, 2014).
1.4 Evolution of the product
Microsoft first introduced Windows Phone 7 in 2010, which was updated to Windows Phone 7.5 Mango including Internet Explorer 9, then again minor update released in 2012 known as ‘Tango’ including lower hardware requirements to run it. Since Windows Phone 7.5 devices were not able to be updated to Windows Phone 8 because of limited hardware limitations, Windows Phone 7.8 was introduced as the update version of Windows Phone 7.5 in 2013 including some features of Windows Phone 8 including additional wallpaper options, color schemes, tweaked start screen. ………
1.4 Target customers segment of Windows Phone
Target segments of Windows Phone are individual consumers, where Windows Mobile’s target segments were enterprise consumers. In addition, Windows Phones are more popular in Asia in comparison with the rest of the World. The key target groups are the young people from 15 to 45 years old, and the internet users who spend a part of the daily life on the web (Gartner, 2014)…………..
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