Most people I know don't use a Windows phone. With just 1% market share, most people that most people know don't use a Windows phone.

There are some die-hard Windows phone fans among Microsoft's ranks, however. Just as with the non-Microsoft employee fan base, however, that number's decreasing. Adharsh Kannan, a data scientist at Microsoft, is among the ranks of those defectors. Kannan is a fan who loves and still sees the value of the platform. For reasons he expressed in a LinkedIn post, however, he felt compelled to switch to Android. Microsoft employee, Adharsh Kannan, felt compelled to switch to Android. Kannan doesn't speak for Microsoft in the post where he shares his journey to Windows phone and ultimately to Android. Nor does his perspective as a data scientist at Microsoft suggest any privileged insights or access to details of Microsoft's mobile strategy that would have influenced his decision either way. Best VPN providers 2020: Learn about ExpressVPN, NordVPN & more His voice is that of a disappointed fan and consumer who is also a Microsoft employee. Inside perspective It's interesting, nonetheless, to view Microsoft's mobile dilemma through an employee's eyes.

Interestingly, the company which employs an individual does little to shape their preference of a device that is the hub to their very personal digital experiences. The impact and highly personal nature of smartphones begins in our personal lives after all. For instance, Kannan's interest in Windows Mobile was piqued as a developer: "I was…keenly interested in developing more applications that were Windows Mobile based." He continues: I continued my journey with Windows Mobile all the way through Windows Phone 7, Mango, Tango, Apollo and today with the latest Windows Update to my Nokia Lumia 1520. Kannan's experiences reflect those of many Windows phone fans. In this piece we'll see what Kannon views as strengths of the platform that still appeal to him as well as weaknesses that pushed him to switch to Android. Glass half full

Kannan is a proud Microsoft employee. Amidst criticisms levied against Redmond's mobile efforts, even from his fellow employees, Kannan raises a bold and practical defense. He highlights several unique things Redmond has brought to market that are a benefit to Window phones and the Universal Windows Platform. Tile Notifications Kannan notes that Microsoft's Tile notifications offer users more information than the tiny badges that iOS sticks on it static icons or Android's mere icons in the status bar. Tile notifications can provide a summary of content whereas a badge is limited to giving a number reflecting how many notifications may be within a certain app. Will Microsoft evolve Live Tile functionality beyond its "glance and go" origins to the cancelled "exploding tile" feature that has excited so many fans?

One Core Both Apple and Google have asserted that different software is better suited for different form factors. Thus, Android fans may never see the rumored merger of Chrome and Android: Andromeda. The strength of Microsoft's One Core concept goes beyond the common UI many focus on. A single core simplifies the end to end "development to user experience process" for developers and users for all form factors. There's just one platform for which to develop and one Store from which to distribute and acquire apps. Continuum Kannan is proud of Microsoft's success with Continuum: We are the first company to bring 'Continuum,' a means by which your phone could be used as a ubiquitous computer powerful enough to help one write this article on a full screen. I have used the wireless version of it using my Xbox and I felt one of those proud moments as an employee. Many criticize Continuum's current state as if it's Redmond's final vision. Beaming our smartphone screens to larger displays reveals an evolution in human-tech behavior. Keep in mind that smartphones have put word processing, web browsing, instant messaging, media editing and other previously PC-centric tasks in the palms of our hands. Furthermore, "beaming" our smartphone displays to larger screens and modern televisions via various means reveals an evolution in the industry and consumer behavior toward using our smartphones as a hub when a larger display is practical.