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Is Microsoft's OEM-First Attitude Hurting It in Mobile?

There's an interesting take on Ars Technica today called "The carriers are not your customers: the Windows Phone 7 update mess." Peter Bright suggests that Microsoft's history of treating partners well is hampering it badly in the smartphone market. Key quote:

"Microsoft is still treating the OEMs and carriers as if they were its customers. While they're the ones Microsoft is dealing with directly, treating them as the customer will kill the platform. The early-adopting end users -- the people who actually bought the platform, are buying the applications, and are encouraging their friends and families to follow suit -- have to be treated as king. But they're not, and they're not happy."

Bright argues Microsoft's missteps aren't fatal yet. Better communication could still help, he says.
