Microsoft allegedly aborted a deal with a Swedish mobile blogger because he uses an iPhone.
Toni Johansson, at the helm of site winMobile.se, said that responding to an email with the “sent from my iPhone” signature cost him a funding deal from Microsoft. As a result, he’s closing the site.
“They abruptly closed the door due to the fact of a simple signature,” Johansson told iTnews via email.
Johansson says he was very close to working out a deal with Microsoft to sponsor a redesign of his site. While arranging lunch with a Microsoft “evangelist,” Johansson answered and email from his iPhone.
Instead of confirming the appointment, the Microsoft contact reportedly highlighted the iPhone signature on the email and shot back: “not a chance that we’ll continue after this!”
If that did cost Johansson the site he’s been running for 6 years, I sympathize. His last post on the site (if Google translate can be trusted) blasting Microsoft for arrogance says that he’s been in talks with them to sponsor the site for two years. He also says that he has confirmation that the response was not that of just one Microsoft employee but a company-wide policy.
He also points out that over the years, he has tested lots of phones (Android, Blackberry, etc.) to see what “healthy alternatives there are to Microsoft phones.” Plus, Johansson, who has a day job, figured he’s entitled to use whatever devices he wants — and the fact that he uses other platforms and is open about it has often provided interesting dialogue with readers.
It’s a good thing no one would think worse of me for responding to Cult of Mac emails from my Android phone.
Apple aficionados think different, right?
Via ITNews
Nicole Martinelli is a San Francisco freelance writer who heads up Cult of Mac Magazine, our weekly publication available on iTunes. You can find her on Twitter and Google+. If you’re doing something new, cool and Apple-related, email her.
81 responses to “Microsoft Reportedly Dumps Blogger Over iPhone Use”
Ouch.
And Apple dump an iPhone developer for pointing out a security hole. Big deal! All big corps are like spoil babies.
Every now and then, we get a glimpse of what Microsoft is like when in a position of power. We would do well not to forget…
I wouldn’t think worse of you for being stuck with an Android phone, just a little sad for you. It does amaze me sometimes that there are actually people who use an Android intentionally.
I think he was “dumped” because he publicly and explicitly violated the terms of his agreement by purposefully submitting an application that misrepresented what it does and intentionally accesses private user information. Even though it was a proof of concept, it was, by definition a malicious app.
A little like a security researcher carrying a bomb onto a plane just to see if he could get away with it and wondering what everybody got so upset about.
I’m glad he did it, but no one should be surprised that Apple held him to the terms of his agreement. I would be more concerned if they just shrugged and said, “Well, it’s OK if *he* did it … we’ll just let that one slide.”
phew, that was a close one. you almost took the high road there.
You’re fired.
If one can’t get an iPhone unlocked under AT&T for international travel, then maybe one should use an Unlocked android!
If you are as pretty as your picture, then you should use an iPhone. Android is just not for you.
Reminds me of how Bill Gates’ children aren’t allowed to have iPods.
Can we all write Microsoft email from our iPhones? What is Ballmer’s address?
Of course why would Microsoft want you to use something that works…. U should be using vista….hahaha
Nicole, You have an Android phone?!
the betrayal.
Um, I believe the guy was very naive. If you are doing work for a company, you don’t want to rub in their face that you use the products of their biggest competition. I do work for telecom companies as a consultant and as a matter of practice I eliminate all branding from my signature… sent from my ____. I make it generic: sent from my mobile device. Its fine for consumers to keep their signature as is, but if you’re doing work for a company, getting money from them, they don’t want it rubbed in theri face that you support the competition that is kicking their butt.
Just the stupidity of responding to your hoped-for sponsor with their competitors product is adequate reason to dump him. Not that he uses the iPhone, but that he’s too unsophisticated to not stick their noses in it.
He showed disrespect, he should have changed that message to his ownsignature, which shows incompetence. If he isn’t smart enough to do that he should be fired.
The developer violated the terms of agreement. He could have simply notified Apple of the issue, but chose to make it public and place the malicious application into the App Store.
very good post, i was really searching for this topic as i wanted this topic to
understand completely and it is also very rare in internet that is why it was very
difficult to understand thank you for sharing this.
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If Microsoft was really enthusiastic about the project and if they really were that close to striking a deal, I’d be surprised. This is just too silly. While it is quite possible Mr. Johannson perceives things this way, I think there is more to the story.
He is lucky not getting his ass sued dry by Apple’s legal team.
Developer’s deal was not to exploit iPhone’s weakness. Rather it is to DEVELOPE apps. Or help REPORT bugs.
That guy should have just engaged Apple directly regarding the discovery of that exploit, instead he went public trying to get famous. How he regrets now
Still seems a little strange to cut off what appears to be an avid windows fan with a large following. A nice reminder might have been the better solution for both of them rather that a complete severance.
If he starts blogging elsewhere and takes his followers with him then microsoft are the ones that lose out. People who feel betrayed by something they really like are quite often the ones that will go out of their way to get their own back.
Its just like Catholics who will only marry Catholics. Or Jews who will only marry Jews.
From the daily news:
It’s no secret that Microsoft and Apple are far from BFFs – a fact that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer made pretty clear at a recent company meeting.Here’s what happened: An employee tried to take a photo of Ballmer at the meeting using – drumroll, please – an Apple iPhone. Ballmer grabbed the phone out of the employee’s hand, put it to the ground and pretended to smash it with his foot, The Wall Street Journal reports.Turns out, lots of Microsoft employees use the iPhone.
Sometimes planform fanboydom works out best for all concerned. I would pity, rather than hate, an Android user.
well please pitty my large screen and faster phone thanks
If I was that guy, I’d take Microsoft to court for being a “techno racist”. How utterly unprofessional from Microsoft to act business out like that. I think this is a setup to make consumers scared of using iPhones and/or their signature on their emails. I got this from being high, don’t know if this makes sense?
and actually, I think it puts microsoft in such a bad light. It’s so discriminating. Microsoft should be sewed for this! I mean, if you can sew (iForgot how to spell sew) a company for not employing you based on the fact that you belong to a certain Union, then this should ALSO be subjected to legal action! Oh, i remember how to spell sue.
faster phone to do what with?! Play on your wannabe iOS OS? PS, get a iLife.
oh ya, Android needs to be bigger and faster to support that watchamacallit crap cake ice cream OS.
ok one i have ios device and android device so not a lil fanboy like u and old android phones are just as fast as iphone 4s win u have stock android on them without bloatware
That’s interesting. My coach works at Microsoft doing support for Windows Phone, and he has an iPhone, iPad, and MBP. He still has a job there, even if he gets weird looks from people.
The fact that you actually need to reinstall the OS to use it without the bloatware is what baffles me. It’s too bad all selections of hardware can’t ship with the same software.
Only fanboys have taste. It’s like people who prefer to use Miele or something like Viking in their kitchens instead of LG’s and Samsung’s, or that prefer decorating their houses with persian carpets instead of factory produced cheap scrap. Fanboys spent allot of time researching and finally finding that one product that suites them. People who aren’t “fanboys” simply have no taste and direction. Tell me, do you have a favorite car? Guess your the big hypocrite now aren’t ya? fanboy?
“He also says that he has confirmation that the response was not that of just one Microsoft employee but a company-wide policy.”
There is no way it is company-wide policy not to do business with anyone using a competitor’s phone. They would not be able to do business with anyone.
Enjoy not disabling your default smug ridden “sent from my iphone” signature.
Said in an extremely smug comment.
While there are good Android phones nearly all have a lower pixel density, the colour calibration is often worse (Samsung makes good displays but gets the colour balances all wrong), the App fragmentation is terrible (I had to apply a hack just to get the Netflix App on a friends phone), the security is much worse and unacceptable for a work environment phone; the faster processor is necessary just to make up for the Java runtime the Apps run in, the I/O that is slowed by use of Micro SD cards, and the carrier bloatware that Apple rightly forbade on their phones. So unless you own one of the newest, most high end Android phones with a clean version of Ice Cream Sandwich installed it isn’t even faster than an iPhone despite the greater specs.
Also note screen size is much more of a personal preference. I like the iPhone screen size personally and would likely choose that same size for an Android phone if I were to buy one.
Don’t get me wrong I would absolutely have an Android phone if the iPhone didn’t exist or it got suddenly much worse. But for me the iPhone is just better.
P. S. I apologise on behalf of iPhone users that actually understand how our phones work for the iPhone users that slam Android without actually knowing anything about it. Some people bash out of ignorance, I do it out off of knowledge.
As a loyal Mac/iOS user I think it’s a bit late to keep making the Vista jokes. Vista was a joke of an OS but it would be like making fun of Apple for only using one button mice.
haha, “techno racist” thats not bad att all :)
/Toni
winMobile.se
Just to be clear:
I do not work for Microsoft. My work has been a pro bono thing from day 1, and in no way got a single penny from them.
Hi,
Actually, there’s not anything more to the story. Otherwise I wouldnt have reacted this way. I can publish the entire email conversation if needed, its sadly just that simple…
/Toni
winMobile.se
This is called “ballmerization”