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Nick Jones, Gartner analyst |
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Symposium Debate: Should Microsoft Be Allowed to Own Our Pockets
Wednesday, 12 March 2003
Microsoft wants to extend its software to mobile devices. This raises issues that came under scrutiny at Gartner's Symposium/ITxpo in Florence, Italy. In a novel format, Gartner analysts Nick Jones and Nigel Deighton debated the question: "Should Microsoft be Allowed to Own Your Pocket?"
Jones said Microsoft needs to keep its revenue growing by extending its activities beyond the desktop arena that it dominates. With products like SmartPhone, Microsoft clearly wants to sell into the market for mobile phones. Jones said this raises two questions: Could Microsoft come to dominate the mobile phone market, and Should it be allowed to do so?
The debate was structured to examine six aspects of the issue:
Standards
Costs and benefits of a monopoly
Security
Presence and access control
Skills
Regulation
Jones, arguing the case for Microsoft, said users want seamless integration of pocket and desktop devices and Microsoft alone can provide that while imposing its standards as a benevolent monopoly. Any other kind of monopoly would not be allowed by users or governments. "It's worth paying a premium to have someone take responsibility for integration and interoperability," Jones says.
He concedes that Microsoft has a poor record on security, but that does not mean such will continue in the future. And conventional approaches to security do not cover the most common weakness (impersonation) and is irrelevant to the mobile world. What that needs is security based on relationships.
Jones is confident that users, network operators and governments will not allow Microsoft to control access to users, so that is a non-issue. On skills, there is no question that Microsoft has or can acquire the skills needed. Finally, Jones said it is clear that Microsoft will not be impeded by regulation.
Deighton presented the case against Microsoft. One of the great stimuli to mobile phones was the vendors' agreement on the GSM standards. This allowed wide interoperability but notable diversity. "When standards are set by one company," says Deighton, "innovation gets stifled." Microsoft's track record in exploiting its power is clear enough and we should not allow Microsoft into our pockets. "Your wallet is probably in the same pocket," Deighton warned.
Deighton scorns Microsoft's approach to security and says that its Trustworthy Computing initiative does not include PDAs. As to the question of access control, Deighton argues that Microsoft's Passport is actually a tool for limiting a user's options. Mobile operator Orange, for instance, uses Microsoft's software and tries to lock users into Orange content only.
Microsoft does not have the right skills for mobile devices, Deighton continued. It took the wrong approach by trying to shrink large systems into a small space instead of starting from scratch. And even after four or five iterations, the software still drains batteries too quickly. Finally, Deighton says that "governments are beginning to wake up to the power of IT to invade privacy," and further legislation is likely.
Jones noted that none of the debating points should be taken as Gartner's position. He then put the questions to the audience:
The question, "Could Microsoft Own Your Pocket?" was carried overwhelmingly
The second question, "Should Microsoft be Allowed to Own Your Pocket?" received one "yes" vote - from an employee of Microsoft.
Jonathan Green-Armytage
Gartner Staff
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