A new Microsoft job advertisement gives us a glimpse into Microsoft’s plans to take on Flickr- yes, they’re moving on to photos! You can’t tell me that you didn’t know this was coming given that Microsoft already took on YouTube (or tried to) with Soapbox. Flickr has become one of the more popular photo solution on the web that it only makes sense that Microsoft would try their hand at this too. This time around though, I think if they do it right and spend some quality time developing it, they can make an awesome web-based photo solution that works seamlessly with the Windows Live Photo Gallery and Windows in general.
Here’s what part of the job description reads for a Program Manager:
Come make Windows Live the best place to share your digital memories! Heard of Flickr? YouTube? How about. Mac? This role will work across the new Windows Live division with teams like Spaces, SkyDrive, Messenger and Hotmail to construct a winning strategy for Microsoft in photo and video sharing. This role involves leading the team to design the strategy then build and implement a winning solution that will be loved by millions of customers. This feature team is building a next-generation photo and video sharing service that will compete with Flickr, Smugmug and other photo web solutions today. This is a “v1” opportunity.
While I was snooping around the Microsoft Careers site, I came across yet another job ad that tells us that Microsoft is serious about this. The job was posted back on June 20th and reads:
Do you love photos and videos? Want to help people connect and share memories? Then help us build the next generation solution for sharing photos and videos. The Windows Live Digital Memories team (DMX) is looking for Software Development Engineers in Test to drive quality in our products, processes and tools.
The main difference with this job advertisement is that Microsoft didn’t come out and say that they were looking to compete with Flickr like they did with the more recent ad we listed first. If Microsoft happened to come out with a top-notch photo and video sharing service, do you think they’d have a chance at taking on Flickr and others who’ve established themselves? Or once again, would they entering the scene a little too late?
Source: I Started Something
The problem is that Microsoft just aren’t cool. Apple is cool; Flickr is cool; Photobucket is cool; hell, even Yahoo! is cool; but aligning yourself to Microsoft as a brand just makes you seem uncool.
That is actually true. It’s kind of like comparing Microsoft to your parents when you were a teenager, you just don’t want to hang out with them if you don’t have to.
That aside I think Microsoft would have a chance in some of these areas if they would just get more unique. They are coming in way too late, and unless they really have a more unique spin they are going to be left in the dust.
So in other words, they need to put more focus on their brand? I agree. I think they tried to turn things around when they introduced “Windows Live” — but so far, it doesn’t seem to be working all too well.
If they’re sufficiently unique with a very user-friendly interface, plus an open structure (being able to connect to other services and devices, including non-Microsoft ones, and vice versa), they might have a chance. If they’re significantly better I’m sure they’ll overcome the “brand hurdle”.
I’m afraid that whatever they invent that is worth copying will be copied though, making it nearly impossible to catch up. Nice to see them try however.
I have a hard time imagining anything that they can come up with that will make the service all that great compared to Flickr and other photo sites. I guess they could create some sort of desktop application to manage your images online because that’s just about the only thing that Flickr doesn’t officially offer, but there are plenty of third party tools that try to do that.