51DegreesTM

Microsoft UserAgents

51Degrees

10/19/2015 8:57 AM

51Degrees Device Data

Correctly Identifying Tricky Microsoft UserAgents

This week we take a look at Microsoft UserAgents, and the effect they may have on your website.

Microsoft have been adding Android and iOS strings to their device UserAgents for the last year, with the aim to trick websites into believing they are running on these systems.

The reason?

Microsoft think that web developers prioritise optimisation of their websites for these mobile devices over Microsoft, the final goal being that the Microsoft user receives a nicer User Interface from going on the Android/iOS version of the website rather than the Internet Explorer version.

This can however, cause a lot of issues for web developers. Redirecting users to download apps, for example, would mean a windows user may be redirected to the iOS App Store, and unable to download the correct client for their device.

At 51Degrees we have been working on this problem to help our customers adapt their websites for these phones. Below shows an example of this issue, coming with the Nokia Lumia 925

As you can see from this capture, the UserAgent pretends to be an Android 4 device and an iOS 7 device. Our device detection still manages to identify the device as a Windows Phone and rejects the false information in the user agent. This is an incredibly useful feature and allows our customers to give their clients the best User Experience available. This is why our device detection package remains the most accurate service in the world.

If you'd like to find out more please contact us and we'll be happy to discuss how we, can help you, maximise your business potential.