Some industry analysts doubt that it will be able to create a big market for its devices and make enough profits before cheaper providers move in.

This year, Microsoft posted its first quarterly year-over-year drop in sales, and it has repeatedly fallen short in trying to extend its dominance of desktop computers to the Web and mobile phones.

Now SBI and some of its emerging-market peers are teaching the world how to use technology to lower the cost of retail banking, using mobile phones, portable ATMs and the Internet.