Windows 8 didn't suck for everyone.
On Tuesday, Microsoft gave us a sneak peek of their new operating system, dubbed “Windows 10”, which is scheduled to release in 2015. Between returning the Start menu and re-prioritizing the beloved desktop mode over the Modern UI tile mode, Microsoft is pulling out all the stops in this new version to win back its user base and rebound from the underwhelming response to Windows 8.
However, contrary to popular belief as most look to move on from Microsoft’s “new Vista”, there are actually some of us who will look back at the Windows 8 era with glee and appreciation. I’m not embarrassed or the least apologetic to say that my company SweetLabs is one of the lucky few that capitalized on Microsoft’s missteps, and we’re grateful for the opportunities Windows 8 presented.
Here is an unfiltered look at how our startup adopted the cliché aphorism “carpe diem” to its fullest, and rode the coattails of Microsoft’s mistakes.
Riding the Start menu wave.
In 2011 (during the Windows 7 era), we launched a PC app store and platform called Pokki. Pokki gave users mobile-like apps on their desktop and allowed developers to easily create Windows desktop apps using standard web languages like HTML5. Pokki included a simple app launcher, which we didn’t know at the time would become the precursor to our Start menu. During the first year we were seeing early success with consumer adoption, top developers converting and promoting apps, positive reviews from a few prominent tech influencers and writers, and modest revenues.
Then, in early 2012, Microsoft dropped a bomb on its billion Windows user base. The Windows 8 Consumer Preview removed one of the most iconic components of the Windows OS – the Start menu. We knew right away that Windows users would be confused and upset by this change, and that the transition to the new OS would be extremely jarring. After our own initial shock (as Windows fans ourselves) subsided, we realized that we had a golden opportunity at our doorstep. We could extend our product that not only brought back the beloved Start menu, but also accelerated the adoption of our technology, and, most importantly, accomplish our mission – to help developers reach users. A winning combination.
Making new friends and frenemies.
Once we gathered together our scarce resources to build a better, more modern Start menu, I was tasked with marketing this new product with a startup marketing budget of exactly $0.00. Fortunately, there was no shortage of people who shared our love/hate sentiment for the new operating system, and our product was instantly well received, making my job easy.
We instantly found ourselves in a position of solving problems for users, developers, and even device makers all at once. For users, Pokki “brought back a piece of Windows that was a staple for decades” and “a modern way to discover and download desktop apps on Windows PCs.”
For developers, we were able to increase reach and distribution of their apps by promoting them inside the Start menu. And I still remember when my business development team came running in that a top-tier PC manufacturer had just called, begging to include Pokki with millions of Windows 8 machines out of the box. As my friend Alex Wilhelm put it, the Pokki Start menu was “working to improve end user experiences on new computers, while generating revenue from those newly sold systems.”
This opportunity and position was a startup PR and Marketing guy’s dream. I had a chance to meet some of the most talented writers in tech journalism, many of whom I had been following and reading for years. Apart from my boss bombing his first interview with Walt Mossberg which he still refers to as the “Mossbomb” today (but later making up for it with a great second interview and review), I was having a field day with racking up the glowing reviews and staying well within my non-existent marketing budget!
However, we knew that not everyone would be thrilled with our success especially because we were jumping all over another company’s struggles. Behind the scenes, there were plenty of signs and actions that made it clear that Microsoft was not a fan of our latest move and wasn’t going to make our lives easy. In fact, one of our founders was kindly disinvited from a Microsoft executive party immediately after our launch. Admittedly, we probably took it a bit far at times and have since made peace, but there was no shortage of drama!
Onward.
2 years later, our Pokki Start menu has been installed on 1 out of every 10 Windows 8 devices and is now shipped by the likes of Lenovo and HP. So, we of course believe that the Windows 10 Start menu will be embraced with open arms. From the start (no pun intended), we did what any startup would do and we jumped on a specific opportunity that led to a much broader opportunity to solve even bigger problems plaguing the entire PC and device industry. But, in hindsight, I’d be remiss if I didn’t tip my hat and say “thank you” to Microsoft for bringing us (SweetLabs) Windows 8. We look forward to Windows 10!
