4 ms·

When did they Exit from the Phone Business? Did that actually happen? I think Microsoft Stores still showcase Windows Phones?

by st3fan 10y ago

joeblau 10y ago
They announced it back in May [1], but there was speculation that they were exiting the phone business late last year. I think they still make 2 flagship phones, but they aren't competing with iPhone/iOS or (10,000+ phones)/Android anymore. [1] - http://www.macrumors.com/2016/05/25/microsoft-calls-time-consumer-phone-business/ http://www.macrumors.com/2016/05/25/microsoft-calls-time-con...
WorldMaker 10y ago
In the DNA for Microsoft the company has long felt that it isn't a hardware company and the sole reasons for Microsoft to do hardware are to act as a leading beacon for its hardware partners to follow (Microsoft made mice to help spur the adoption of the mouse wheel and keyboards to spur usage of research in ergonomics; the Surface line explores interesting form factors outside of the "PC norm"). From that standpoint it is unsurprising that Microsoft hasn't seen a need for most/all of the hardware business they bought from Nokia. Maybe Microsoft doesn't see a need to try to be a "leading beacon" in the phone hardware space because there isn't interesting innovation to be had there right now. It does not seem to mean that Microsoft is out of the Phone software business. (It may even mean that they've found new hardware partners they are excited about working with.) A lot of the effort into Windows 10 and the UWP app platform has been to bridge the gaps, merge the teams, and make sure that Microsoft can continue to run the Phone software business even as a "low margin" business unit (even with relatively spare hardware sales), and leverage synergies between phone software work and other semi-related platforms like HoloLens and Xbox.

4 ms·

When did they Exit from the Phone Business? Did that actually happen? I think Microsoft Stores still showcase Windows Phones?

by st3fan 10y ago

When did they Exit from the Phone Business? Did that actually happen? I think Microsoft Stores still showcase Windows Phones?

joeblau 10y ago
They announced it back in May [1], but there was speculation that they were exiting the phone business late last year. I think they still make 2 flagship phones, but they aren't competing with iPhone/iOS or (10,000+ phones)/Android anymore. [1] - http://www.macrumors.com/2016/05/25/microsoft-calls-time-consumer-phone-business/ http://www.macrumors.com/2016/05/25/microsoft-calls-time-con...
WorldMaker 10y ago
In the DNA for Microsoft the company has long felt that it isn't a hardware company and the sole reasons for Microsoft to do hardware are to act as a leading beacon for its hardware partners to follow (Microsoft made mice to help spur the adoption of the mouse wheel and keyboards to spur usage of research in ergonomics; the Surface line explores interesting form factors outside of the "PC norm"). From that standpoint it is unsurprising that Microsoft hasn't seen a need for most/all of the hardware business they bought from Nokia. Maybe Microsoft doesn't see a need to try to be a "leading beacon" in the phone hardware space because there isn't interesting innovation to be had there right now. It does not seem to mean that Microsoft is out of the Phone software business. (It may even mean that they've found new hardware partners they are excited about working with.) A lot of the effort into Windows 10 and the UWP app platform has been to bridge the gaps, merge the teams, and make sure that Microsoft can continue to run the Phone software business even as a "low margin" business unit (even with relatively spare hardware sales), and leverage synergies between phone software work and other semi-related platforms like HoloLens and Xbox.