Microsoft’s arrogance – winMobile.se closes

november 7, 2011 by Toni
Filed under: Krönika, winMobile 

After 6 years as the no 1 leading Windows Phone site in Sweden, winMobile.se is hereby closing the store. Why? Keep reading and I’ll tell you all about it…

We’ve been here since the glory days of WM 2003 giving news on a daily basis, some being world exclusive, such as some phone reviews (ACER/ETEN units) and lets not forget the Spotify story that winMobile.se was all alone publishing for over 3 whole months!!

During all those years, I’ve been trying to combine a “real job”, family, house, and spare time and still deliver Windows Phone news to my readers, on the expense on my free time and wallet…

So, why do I close down then? Well, to make a long story short, for over 2 years I’ve been having a dialouge together with Microsoft regarding rebuilding the site in order to make it even more appealing so it could attract even greater interest in their mobile OS.

After going through 3 different contact persons, Anders Wedahl came into place, and it looked like we finally we’re on the verge of hitting the finish line. We were supposed to meet up for lunch to go through some of the details, but just before that, I get an email that made me laugh first, until when I met him in person and understood that he wasn’t joking, but was rather death serious. I’ll post the original email and a translated version below.


Translation E-mail:

Toni,

 

I have got the money to make a real effort to give your site a facelift – metro design, HTML5, I’ve signed the people that will do the work, and also checked some other things that we could do to help to manage the site – but seriously, – you really put an end to that today (see yellow below).

 

Not a chance that we’ll continue after this!

 

Good luck!

 

//Anders

 

Sent from my iPhone

Correct.

Sincerely Toni

 

 

I would like to point out that this is not a statement from a single grumpy employee at Microsoft, I have got confirmation that his statement above is the official statement by Microsoft Sweden.

I have never in my years within the IT industry experienced such an unprofessional behavior,  and arrogant I might add, which was confirmed when we met in person.

Throughout the years, I’ve been testing loads of devices, Win mobile, Android, iOS, Blackberry etc, in order to have a good feel of the market and to better understand what the competition can offer. Every single time I’ve published any of those reviews, the readers have given a very positive response.

One needs to separate private life and working life. In this case, Microsoft can’t make the distinction. winMobile.se has always been about Windows Phone, which can easily be proven by 6 years of consistent delivering news when no one else did in Sweden.

They also remarked that I use an iPad, which I do, its great to write articles on when out travelling for example. The only chance of us getting back on track would be if I stopped using the iPhone privately. So, Im thinking…if Microsoft would like to start controlling my life, where will it stop? I got a NAS running Linux, will I have to give that up? My spouse doesn’t use a Windows Phone, does she has to switch phone too? Considering their truly childish behavior you never know.

In any case, one should separate private and professional life. Microsoft didn’t. Its like a big slap in the face after having delivered free exposure and marketing for their products for 6 years, for free. Hence, all joy of continuing doing this died faster than you can say “Mango”.

So with this, I just like to say thanks for all the years!

Comments

  • http://www.facebook.com/norskeby Fredric Fekke Norrby

    Det där är bara så oproffsigt från ett av världens ledande företag. Var sugen på en Windows Phone 7 lur, Nokia 800 Lumia, men nu vet jag inte om man är lika sugen när detta visas. Jag har en Android lur och är mycket nöjd med denna. Ska ni börja klaga på mig nu också? Privatliv Microsoft! PRIVATLIV! Spelar ingen roll vilka lurar man har. Har man ett intresse i Microsofts arbete ska dem ju egentligen vara glada att man sprider deras nyheter och dyligt gratis.

  • Not Toni

    Allvarligt Toni…
    Är det här på riktigt??
    Annars så har Du gjort ordentligt.
    Hoppas inte.

  • Anonym

    Hej, 

    Vad menar du med ”gjort ordentligt” ?

  • VP7 konsult

    Detta är ju helt galet! Nu när WP7 skall lanseras i Sverige
    så är detta det mest trångsynta MS Sverige kunde göra. Mycket Tråkigt!

  • Magnus

    Alltså är detta sant? Det låter helt ofattbart!!! inte en chans att jag skulle vilja fortsätta att köpa mobiler från ett sånt företag? synd för jag har nyligen upptäckt windows phone och gillar det verkligen och tror det kommer slå rejält nästa år. Men ett företag som tror det är krig och inte accepterar att det finns annat än Microsoft på denna jord har jag inget till övers för. Dock har jag ingen bakgrundsfakta till historien..

  • Anonym

    Toni,

    I don’t see Anders telling you you need to stop using an iPhone.

    What I see is someone that is offering you time, money and talent to help improve your blog being insulted that you are pointing out that you are using a main rival’s product in you signature while accepting the gift.

    Don’t you think it would be as easy as changing your signature to resolve this? (Or at least deleting it for your correspondence with Microsoft)

    I mean really, would you show up at a friend’s party with his ex-girfriend and expect a warm reception as well?

    I was at a Windows Phone event last year with Dieter Bohn from (then) WMExperts.  He was sporting his iPhone 4 at the event and in fact it was used in one of the demos against WP.  Microsoft did not have a problem with it.

    Also, Brandon Watson (the head of MS Developer program uses a MBP as his business laptop (though he is looking to replace it). I’m pretty sure MS knows.

    Just my 2 cents. I would love to see you work things out with MS.

  • Anonym

    Toni,

    I don’t see Anders telling you you need to stop using an iPhone.

    What I see is someone that is offering you time, money and talent to help improve your blog being insulted that you are pointing out that you are using a main rival’s product in you signature while accepting the gift.

    Don’t you think it would be as easy as changing your signature to resolve this? (Or at least deleting it for your correspondence with Microsoft)

    I mean really, would you show up at a friend’s party with his ex-girfriend and expect a warm reception as well?

    I was at a Windows Phone event last year with Dieter Bohn from (then) WMExperts.  He was sporting his iPhone 4 at the event and in fact it was used in one of the demos against WP.  Microsoft did not have a problem with it.

    Also, Brandon Watson (the head of MS Developer program uses a MBP as his business laptop (though he is looking to replace it). I’m pretty sure MS knows.

    Just my 2 cents. I would love to see you work things out with MS.

  • Anonym

    Think its fair for them to ask you to use MSFT products where possible, but did they offer you a phone to use in place of the iPhone?

  • Ryssfemma

    He’s Samsung Omnia 7 got bricked when he tried to update mango.

  • Anonym

    Did they offer to replace it?

  • http://www.facebook.com/ToniJohansson Toni Johansson

    No, the error issue was escalated a few weeks ago to MS tech in the US, but never get any clear answers except ”we’ll look into it”

  • http://www.facebook.com/ToniJohansson Toni Johansson

    No. Been climbint that tree as well for quite some time….no luck

  • Anonym

    Well, what are they moaning about?! I presume you cant afford to go buying new handsets on a whim.

    They should have said, i see your using an iPhone, can we help you get a WP.

  • http://www.facebook.com/ToniJohansson Toni Johansson

    Hi Rob,

    Well, first of all, none of the money from MS would go to my pocket, it would all go to making the site even better in order to spread the Windows Phone news broader and better. Who will benefit the most of that? :)

    Regarding the ex- girlfriend, well… no, i shouldnt comment on that :)

    Regarding me to stop using an iPhone – I do have that demand statement in another email, that could of course be posted here. However, I think the first email says it all.

    Thanks for the support, appreciate it! Ps. FYI: This descision was NOT easy to make, considering everything…

  • Anonym

    Well then I can say is good luck to you in whatever you decide to do with all the free time you’ll have ;-)
    I hate to see any WinMo/WP side close its doors, but if you feel you’ve been treated unfairly, you have to do what you feel is right.
    Again, good luck,
    Robb

    Sent from my Windows Phone
    ________________________________

  • Anonym

    the moment you start advertising that you have an iphone on a business email its no longer a private matter.

  • Tuxplorer

    I think it was unprofessional behavior from you to send a business email with the ”sent from my iPhone” signature. There’s no problem if you choose to use an iPhone, but when contacting Microsoft for help with site design, it’s unacceptable to use that signature.

    Personally, it reflects more of crApple’s and Steve Jobs’ arrogance that they use this ”sent from my iPhone” or ”sent from my iPad” signatures. Who cares what device the sender uses? Anyone but the crApple fanboys will be insulted if they receive such an email.

  • Anonym

    your childishness on putting ‘sent from iphone’ LOL….. I can see you laughing everytime u sent microsoft an email using that signature, I can see you saying ‘oh I’m so cool I send emails to microsoft with the iphone signature, I’m so cool yeah’

    well…. KID…. that’s what you are, a kid…. and a very disrespectful person
    sent from my http://swedishtechreport.com/ account

  • Anonym

    Well I guess the other thing I can say is: I could help you update your blog if you decide to stay open for business. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/ToniJohansson Toni Johansson

    Hi Rob, 

    Appreciate that! Honestly dont know what to do next, Microsoft really killed the spirit. 

    But lets keep in contact!

  • Anonym

    Sounds great. Do you have my email addy from the posts or is it locked up in Disqus?
    Sent from my Windows Phone
    ________________________________

  • http://www.facebook.com/ToniJohansson Toni Johansson

    Hmmm I dont.
    But you can reach me at:Email: toni@winmobile:disqus.se
    twitter: toni_winmobile

  • Anonym

    duh! i knew that! (toni@winmobile.se)

  • Nilswalter

    I think this behavior of MS is not acceptable! I hope your story will find a big audience which at some point can’t be ignored by MS. I hope they will at least appologize for their reaction. You should be allowed to use whatever product you want!

  • Anonym

    Ruttet, minst sagt. När ska Microsoft lära sig?

  • Sebastian

    Then I guess MS are arrogant as well, since the default signature for e-mails are ”Sent from my Windows Phone”. 

  • http://www.wp7connect.com/2011/11/08/winmobile-se-to-close-after-microsoft-denies-funding-to-iphone-using-editor/ WinMobile.se to Close After Microsoft Denies Funding to iPhone Using Editor | WP7 Connect

    [...] Source:WinMobile.se [...]

  • Anonym

    what a big baby…

    so explain why you run a Windows mobile site and you use an iPhone.

    Its okay there will be another Windows Phone site… Next time your run a site about something, try to actually use it.

  • Ahmedaoumar

    Toni, no ones told you not to use iPhone,but when communicating with microsoft it was unecessary to sign ”sent from my iPhone”.you have to understand your mistakes: its very unprofessional I suggest you to try to work things out and get this deal again.

  • http://geekattitu.de/2011/11/09/microsoft-naime-pas-les-utilisateurs-diphone/ Microsoft n’aime pas les utilisateurs d’iPhone | Geekattitude

    [...] moins, c’est ce qu’a pu constater le blogueur Suédois Toni Johansson qui anime winMobile.se . En effet, celui-ci était en train de nouer un partenariat commercial avec Microsoft, tout allait [...]

  • johan

    värsta applemanér av microsoft. jag är mycket nöjd androidanvändare men sneglar en del på mango och ännu mer på utvecklingen av win 8 som jag verkligen tror på men det här är steve jobsmentalitet och det ska jag absolut lägga på minnet.

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