Microsoft: ‘People have no loyalty to devices’

Microsoft believes that consumers do not maintain their loyalty to specific brands or devices in today’s increasingly fragmented market of smart devices.

In a session at GDC Europe, senior technical evangelist Lee Stott warned that developers should always be aware that customers may switch devices at any point – whether that’s between iOS, Android or Windows – and think carefully about allowing those customers to retain the content they have invested in.

“This is what becomes really important today: people no longer have any loyalty to devices,” he said. “We have a loyalty to two things: is it new and shiny, and is it at the right price point? And they will change depending on contract length, and other factors. I know people who have changed to different vendors just because of that price point.

“And that’s really important to consider when you’re planning these games and content: what happens if somebody does go through that transition? Do you cloud sync and offer back what they probably deserve?”

Stott’s talk also covered the rapid growth of the Windows and Windows Phone stores, emphasising that Microsoft’s current mission was to make it as easy as possible for developers to release one app across all of the firm’s platforms, including Xbox One.