3 ms·

Microsoft has 50 billion in cash. They need to buy their way back. Video platform: buy Netflix and Hulu. Music: buy Pandora, Spotify, and eMusic. Cellphones: st

by logn 14y ago

Microsoft has 50 billion in cash. They need to buy their way back. Video platform: buy Netflix and Hulu. Music: buy Pandora, Spotify, and eMusic. Cellphones: start shipping the Mozilla phone platform on Microsoft hardware. Social: add social features to Skype and integrate it into aforementioned products, and buy MySpace on the cheap and integrate it. Edit: I'm not saying I want this. As a user of all of these services (except MySpace) I like them the way they are. But if I were Microsoft CEO this is what I would do.

kmfrk 14y ago
Please don't, Microsoft. They've made a royal mess of Skype - and the subsequent deprecation of MSN/Windows/Live Messenger. They've also got more design talent than they probably know what to do with. I do think that they should find something to do with the Xbox/media centre platform where some of your suggestions might apply. As much as Microsoft have pissed off game developers and failed to lower the entry bar compared to iOS, console competitors like Nintendo and Sony are struggling a lot, which could put Microsoft in a much better position.
- cooldeal 14y ago
  How is Skype a royal mess after the acquisition? Also Skype is run pretty independently even now with Microsoft. Their entry badge IDs even say Skype and not Microsoft. Also, deprecation of MSN/Windows/Live Messenger is good. Why have two different platforms which basically do the same thing thus wasting resources within the company and confusing consumers? I can't imagine they've been making too much money from Messenger.
thematt 14y ago
They could also buy Valve and then integrate Steam and XBox Live. It would be horrible for end-users (they'd probably botch it) but would be lucrative from a business perspective.
- sharkweek 14y ago
  I am pretty certain Valve would reject even the most ridiculous of offers from MSFT
- undergroundhero 14y ago
  Gabe Newell is a vocal critic of Microsoft and Win8, and Valve is sitting on piles of money. This is the least likely of these scenarios.
mikeryan 14y ago
This is a completely horrible strategy, Hulu is a dog since without its current ownership it would pretty much lose all its content rights, Netflix is in a similarly precarious position though doing okay. Spotify is bleeding money because of its deals with the labels and Pandora is only scraping by. Don't tell me MS can get a better deal with the labels because Apple can't get a better deal with the labels. MySpace is intriguing at best but trying to crack Facebook's hold on the social space is not a great idea, go ask Google they've been throwing money at it for years. Not one of these suggestions would move the needle for Microsoft at all.
- logn 14y ago
  Regarding Hulu/Netflix, Microsoft would certainly have its work cut out to keep contracts and gain new ones. But they have the money to, and it's going to be a loss leader to get people to buy other things, like Xbox or in the future their cell phones. Microsoft already co-owns a network with NBC (MSNBC) so maybe they have enough connections to make TV contracts. Pandora/Spotify are bleeding money because of the royalty structure. It's maybe a coin toss if the rates will change. A matter the congress can decide. I think it's worth the gamble. Plus they could leverage this on Xbox too as well as phones. These businesses aren't that profitable which is why I think it makes sense to buy them. Microsoft if they bought all these companies (and if the SEC would allow) would greatly expand their ad network and open up possibilities for new integrations and businesses. Every other major tech company (Google, Amazon, Apple) has audio/video. Microsoft should want to compete too. I don't see MS Word and being able to run EXEs as enough reason to go Microsoft. I'm imagining them unlocking a wholly integrated entertainment setup. Also, I see MySpace being what it once was. A place to friend all the weird and interesting strangers and follow new bands. It was great for that and a lot of fun. Social networks weren't all serious like they were before Facebook and LinkedIn.

by logn 14y ago

kmfrk 14y ago

Please don't, Microsoft. They've made a royal mess of Skype - and the subsequent deprecation of MSN/Windows/Live Messenger. They've also got more design talent than they probably know what to do with. I do think that they should find something to do with the Xbox/media centre platform where some of your suggestions might apply. As much as Microsoft have pissed off game developers and failed to lower the entry bar compared to iOS, console competitors like Nintendo and Sony are struggling a lot, which could put Microsoft in a much better position.

cooldeal 14y ago
How is Skype a royal mess after the acquisition? Also Skype is run pretty independently even now with Microsoft. Their entry badge IDs even say Skype and not Microsoft. Also, deprecation of MSN/Windows/Live Messenger is good. Why have two different platforms which basically do the same thing thus wasting resources within the company and confusing consumers? I can't imagine they've been making too much money from Messenger.

thematt 14y ago

They could also buy Valve and then integrate Steam and XBox Live. It would be horrible for end-users (they'd probably botch it) but would be lucrative from a business perspective.

sharkweek 14y ago
I am pretty certain Valve would reject even the most ridiculous of offers from MSFT
undergroundhero 14y ago
Gabe Newell is a vocal critic of Microsoft and Win8, and Valve is sitting on piles of money. This is the least likely of these scenarios.

mikeryan 14y ago

This is a completely horrible strategy, Hulu is a dog since without its current ownership it would pretty much lose all its content rights, Netflix is in a similarly precarious position though doing okay. Spotify is bleeding money because of its deals with the labels and Pandora is only scraping by. Don't tell me MS can get a better deal with the labels because Apple can't get a better deal with the labels. MySpace is intriguing at best but trying to crack Facebook's hold on the social space is not a great idea, go ask Google they've been throwing money at it for years. Not one of these suggestions would move the needle for Microsoft at all.

logn 14y ago
Regarding Hulu/Netflix, Microsoft would certainly have its work cut out to keep contracts and gain new ones. But they have the money to, and it's going to be a loss leader to get people to buy other things, like Xbox or in the future their cell phones. Microsoft already co-owns a network with NBC (MSNBC) so maybe they have enough connections to make TV contracts. Pandora/Spotify are bleeding money because of the royalty structure. It's maybe a coin toss if the rates will change. A matter the congress can decide. I think it's worth the gamble. Plus they could leverage this on Xbox too as well as phones. These businesses aren't that profitable which is why I think it makes sense to buy them. Microsoft if they bought all these companies (and if the SEC would allow) would greatly expand their ad network and open up possibilities for new integrations and businesses. Every other major tech company (Google, Amazon, Apple) has audio/video. Microsoft should want to compete too. I don't see MS Word and being able to run EXEs as enough reason to go Microsoft. I'm imagining them unlocking a wholly integrated entertainment setup. Also, I see MySpace being what it once was. A place to friend all the weird and interesting strangers and follow new bands. It was great for that and a lot of fun. Social networks weren't all serious like they were before Facebook and LinkedIn.