Microsoft eyes single device for its next mobile push
By Amy Lee
Microsoft Corp. is poised to launch the latest version of its operating system in the next few weeks, and without giving a ton of specifics, company executives this week announced its focus on a consumer mobile segment designed to bridge the gap between business and consumer uses.
Andrew Lees, the company’s senior vice president of Mobile Business Communications, told journalists at a recent press event at Microsoft HQ in Washington this week that the company is convinced users would prefer to access all business functions and consumer functions, such as social networking sites, from one mobile device.
“People don’t see themselves as business or consumer. Our focus going forward is not business or consumer, it’s business and consumer,” Lees said.
Executives at the press event did not elaborate on what type of device it is planning to debut — if any — as the business-plus-consumer-needs device when it rolls out the latest Microsoft operating system. Company executives have struck partnerships with four of the largest global vendors of mobile devices, but have not yet reached a deal with Nokia, the Finnish handset giant that holds 40 percent share of the global devices market. Without a deal, Nokia phone users will not have access to the Windows Mobile operating system on their mobile device.
Regardless, Microsoft has already positioned itself well with mobile device users. Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft’s Entertainment & Devices division, said the company is on track to reach 20 million devices shipped with Windows Mobile in the fiscal year ending in June, up from 11 million the previous year. Microsoft hopes its experience in the traditional software market – specifically its Internet Explorer Web browser - will give it an edge over its rivals in growing its mobile presence.
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