Why Microsoft Band is in short supply (it's not a marketing conspiracy)

This calendar week, Microsoft entered the wellness and fitness wearables business concern with the Ring. The Microsoft Band is meant to crush the competition, accept on Fitbit, Jawbone, Apple, and Android Habiliment. Therefore, information technology makes sense that Microsoft wants limited supplies so that they can garner 'sold out' headlines everywhere, creating the appearance of high demand.

The only problem with everything I just wrote is it is entirely wrong. Let me squelch some myths here almost the Microsoft Ring and what Microsoft is trying to exercise.

Myth 1 – Microsoft Band is congenital to compete with the fitness wearable industry

False. Microsoft Band is best thought of as a sit-in device for Microsoft's sensor and software engineering. The bigger story this week is not the Microsoft Ring but rather the Microsoft Health platform, but since Microsoft Health cannot exist photographed or worn, information technology is less impressive.

Enter in the Microsoft Ring to demo the capabilities of the Microsoft Health platform.

Did you know that everything in the Microsoft Band could be optionally licensed out to any manufacture? Microsoft said it:

"Microsoft Health is designed to do good our partners in many ways. For new entrants and startups nosotros accept a complete offering that includes our app, and APIs too as cloud storage for their data. Existing services can upload their data to Microsoft Wellness and take reward of our advanced algorithms and the powerful motorcar learning from our Intelligence Engine to give their customers insights. New devices can license our ten wrist-worn sensor modules to get together robust data including agile middle rate, sleep and GPS ."

Meet that final sentence in that location? It is super of import. If the Microsoft Band was meant to be the exist-all, end-all of fitness wearables, why are they then eager to let every visitor license all of that 'exclusive' technology? This proclamation is a significant indication of Microsoft'southward real strategy hither.

Microsoft does not want to put companies like Jawbone or Fitbit out of business organization, they want them to collaborate with Microsoft. Aye, this means Fitbit'due south next device could utilise the hardware/sensor setup found in the Band. At the very least it means those companies can necktie into Microsoft'southward Health platform so that fifty-fifty if they do not use Microsoft'southward sensor technology, they can share the information.

Trying to convince those companies to bring together you while destroying them in their marketplace is not a great strategy, and information technology is not what Microsoft is trying to do with the Band.

PCs, the Surface and history

Think of Microsoft's core concern: the PC. Microsoft sells licenses to other companies to make awesome hardware. When those manufacturers are not doing a bully chore, Microsoft tin can exercise something like the Surface. Once again, the Surface was non meant to obliterate their partners, it was designed to light a burn nether them to make better hardware. The Surface is intended to set the standard, which is why it is less important how well it does and more valuable to encounter of other OEMs can make some first-class two-in-1 computers post-obit it.

The Band kickstarts this procedure by setting the bar. Microsoft does non necessarily want the Band to take over the fitness industry; they want those companies to license out their hardware and software, just like PCs.

The Microsoft Ring has to do well, but non then well it scares off potential partners.

Myth ii – Brusque supply is meant to generate headlines

I always hear this reasoning: companies purposefully brand fewer devices then that it creates the appearance of loftier need. Therefore, people want those devices fifty-fifty more than.

Sorry, only this theory is bollocks. Everyone knows the business is about getting the product into people'due south hands. If you practise non, you risk that they may buy something else. Lines are proficient, but you can accept lines and aplenty supply of something. If Microsoft wanted to do that with the Band they could.

No, the more than rational reasoning for the Microsoft Band's limited supply is two-fold (one) Secrecy and (two) This is a sit-in device.

Did you notice how there were no leaks of the Microsoft Band? No photos, no sightings, nix coming from some production line in Cathay. Had Microsoft opted to go total blast on this release, we would have known about it weeks ago. Instead, out of nowhere, information technology was appear Thursday nighttime, and information technology was set to purchase the adjacent morn.

Think about that and the logistics involved! You lot need to keep the operation small and tight in order to pull that sort of launch off.

There is also the reason mentioned above: the Microsoft Ring is but a sit-in device meant to show off the Microsoft Health platform. High sales are respectable, simply Microsoft's primary goal here is not necessarily to sell millions of these things, merely to grab the attending of the partner manufacturers while stirring upward excitement for consumers.

Having said that, I am certain if the industry as a whole snubs Microsoft, they are more than happy to ramp upwardly the Band's production and get all out with it. I am not sure that is a fight smaller companies desire to have though.

Microsoft and Fitbit

According to our sources, early next calendar week Microsoft and AT&T are going to denote the Lumia 830 for the US market. I have reported earlier that a limited-fourth dimension promotion involves giving a Fitbit Flex ($99 value) to new or renewing customers who buy a Lumia 830.

I can already hear people exclaiming how 'dumb' Microsoft is for promoting Fitbit when they simply announced their fettle band. However, as noted to a higher place, Microsoft is not looking to push Fitbit out of the way. Instead, Microsoft wants to piece of work with them and doing this promotion is one way you lot can attain such careful diplomacy.

Make friends, non enemies (but don't exist afraid to brand waves either)

In conclusion, Microsoft is not being stupid, birdbrained, or shortsighted with the Band and its release. The device itself is intended to highlight their Health platform and to lure companies into the Microsoft ecosystem. Yeah, it will probable go to other markets in the well-nigh future, but do not expect Microsoft to go full blast on this smart accompaniment.

Microsoft is playing a long-term game, and that involves trying to woo potential partners to side with them (and continue Google at bay). Although it may cause frustration for customers who want this exciting wear correct this moment, Microsoft has to tread lightly here if they desire friends – and not enemies – in this business.

While many of you lot just desire to own this very device, Microsoft is thinking where they will exist in this market two or three years from now. If you switch positions with them, the strategy they are pursuing is a very interesting one. Why settle for just the Microsoft Band when there could be half a dozen products utilizing the same technology, all with unique qualities?

Competition is skillful, and Microsoft wants it badly for the Microsoft Wellness platform. Microsoft Band is the kickoff for that strategy.

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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/why-microsoft-band-short-supply

Posted by: lagoinswer1963.blogspot.com

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