What can Microsoft do when Google Android and Apple iPhone own the mobile market?

Below is a small snapshot of the mobile market setup -

(RIM has been left out in this context)

	Android	iPhone	Windows 8
Processor IP	ARM	ARM	ARM, Intel
Processor Design	Qualcomm, Nvidia	Apple	Qualcom
Processor Manufacturer	TSMC or Global Foundries	Samsung	TSMC
ODM	HTC, Motorola	FoxConn	Compal
Marketing and Distribution	HTC, Motorola	Apple	Nokia
OS	Google	Apple	Microsoft
Market Share	44%	27%	6%

Here is a plausible strategy that Microsoft can follow or may be Microsoft already has a similar one but it is just slow to implement.

Product Strategy:

1) Have a common or similar interface in PCs and mobile platform. Seamless integration between PCs and mobile.

2) Embrace cloud with mobile.

Take a lesson from Dropbox and Evernote. Why is it a success? Sleek design is one big part. But the core is seemless integration of PC to cloud. They did not try to change the user behavior.

Dropbox - Cloud storage - seamless integration between local storage and cloud.

Evernote - Cloud application - seamless integration between desktop application and cloud.

Make skydrive like Dropbpx and Microsoft office applications similar to Evernote. Then integrate them both and include them in mobile. 

Business Strategy:

1) Leverage your partners

Microsoft had always been good at this and it should again do so. It is not possible to create a closed ecosystem like Apple. So partnerships are important.

Who had a failed start in mobile?

Dell and HP

They are the biggest windows partners and have a lot of corporate customers. Dell and HP will lose its relevance in market place slowly if they do not embrace a solid mobile strategy. HP botched its Palm project. Dell tested waters with few android devices that did not gain traction. So there is a strategic win-win for them in shaking hands with Microsoft.

So leverage these players to create a new and bigger eco-system along with Nokia.

2) Think about Corporate IT needs and cater to them

iPhone has been gaining corporate ground but still has a long way to go as it does not have good corporate productivity utilities. Corporates cannot rely on apps as there are too many players and corporates need a few solid players who can give them the needed services and support.

Due to less control on Apps, Android has become similar to wild wild west in the mobile market which is a no go for Corporate IT.

Who is known for corporate productivity utilities? Microsoft!. Having a simlar interface, compatibility between devices and a handle on cloud would make Corporate IT's life less cumbersome.

Marketing Strategy:
1) Buy once use everywhere - Buy a product in mobile or any device and have access to it in all the windows 8 devices. 

2) Change the name - Do not use windows. Windows is already a baggage.  iPhone is a brand, Android is a brand but Windows 8 is not a brand. Reinvent the brand.

The mobile OS should not have windows influence. It should be the other way round and the name Windows 8 does not convey that. The conception of windows mobile had this flaw and did not understand that mobile is not an extension of PC. 

3) Make it easier for the developers to port apps between devices - not only from iphone and android to windows 8 but also between tablet, windows phone and PC. Offer a software tool kit for porting.