Thousands of Android users respond to free WP offer

Micorosoft is giving away free Windows Phone 7 handsets to disgruntled Android users.

Just like it did a few months ago with Blackberry, Microsoft is cashing in on Google’s misfortune. The tech giant is offering free smartphones powered by its Windows Phone operating system to those Android users who have the best malware stories.

Thousands of Android loyalists have been facing problems with their smartphones due to malware that has been floating around in Android Market for some time.

Android users fed up with malware attacks in the form of viruses and trojans are responding to Microsoft’s offer in large numbers. Consumers are hoping to turn around their misfortune by telling their stories and wining a device that allows them to try out a different operating system.

At the last count, over 3,200 Android users had got in touch with Microsoft, proving that the company’s PR strategy is working out quite nicely.

On Monday, Ben Rudolph, an officer with Microsoft’s Windows Phone team, had tweeted, “Share your Android malware story (there’s lots going around) and you could win a #windows phone upgrade.” By Thursday, he had 3,200 respondents writing in.

This is a setback for Google. Ever since the news about malicious malware doing the rounds on Android Market broke, the company has removed a number of suspected apps from its network. Hopefully, this incident will lead to a better screening process of Android apps. 

With the world’s attention focused on Microsoft, now is the time for it to shine. Besides building competitive products, it needs an aggressive marketing strategy to get users to make the transition to its Windows Phone operating system.

Maybe that is what the world will see from the tech giant in the coming year.