With Micromax Canvas Win series, Microsoft targets Android growth in low-end segment

So Microsoft has come good on its promise of low-cost Windows Phone 8.1 devices, something the company committed to at the annual BUILD conference earlier this year.

The first two partners announced on stage included Micromax and Prestigio, a low-cost player which is big in Europe. But in the months since then, we heard nothing from Micromax about its plans for Windows Phone. In fact, the company released competitors to the Moto G and Moto E, both Android phones, which have set the entry-level and budget segment on fire.

But now Micromax has two new phones and potentially opens itself up to a vast new audience which has come to love Windows Phone. But it represents a bigger play for Microsoft, that of being a visible player in this segment.

Microsoft’s cheapest Windows Phone 8 device so far was the Lumia 520, which remains the highest-selling Windows Phone device of all time. However, the phone is now over a year old and despite the smooth user experience, Microsoft needed more options in terms of hardware in the low-end. Micromax is just the beginning of this invasion.

On the back of Micromax’s well-tested marketing strategy and one of the strongest distribution networks in the country, Microsoft has a far-reaching vehicle for Windows Phone. The Canvas Win phones also have a great price tag , undercutting the Moto E and Moto G specifically , while presenting alternatives to Microsoft’s own Nokia Lumia phones.

Microsoft would not mind Micromax phones eating into the market share of Nokia Lumia phones, for the same reason that Google does not mind taking a lower margin on Nexus devices. Micromax’s Canvas Win phones represent a chance for users to get invested in the Windows ecosystem, including the Xbox platform, which will be heavily promoted later this year when the Xbox One launches .

Microsoft is betting users will purchase apps, games and content on the Windows Phone or Xbox stores, which would benefit the platform overall. And that’s why it can afford to lose some ground with Nokia in the low-end segment. Rest assured that Nokia will remain the brand force behind high-end launches in Windows Phone world, backed by cutting-edge technology, be it in imaging or display .

The pressing need in Windows Phone is getting developers as interested in the platform as they are for Android or iOS. Proven app sales will go a long way towards mitigating the app problem in Windows Phone. With a diverse audience to cater to, developers too have a lot more incentive to develop for the platform. And this should consequently boost adoption.

And surely, this is just the beginning. Microsoft announced the likes of Karbonn, Xolo, and Lava will also be producing WP devices. The manufacturers who made a name for themselves on the back of low-cost Android phones, now have their time in the sunshine, as Microsoft courts them.