Did Satya just throw us under the bus?

[Ebuka Allison]

Software like the Surface Pro 3?

 

[Pierre Blackwell]

He's not just the CEO for WP. That's why he quickly silenced rumors about Xbox and Bing being for sale. He's looking at the next big thing to put MSFT on another level. This is the point that many don't see. WP is a piece of that. Andriod may own the mobile market, but MSFT has them beat in software developement, server enterprise, gaming enterprise, and desktop and laptop hardware. I think he sees WP's ability to integrate the other MSFT components. This is one of the reasons with 8.1 you see VPN and MDM integration. The ability to digitally sign and encrypt emails and have SSL and gateway protocols so that IT departments on a corporate level can all exchange access. Initially WP was only looked to be strictly a mobile platform, but with the popularity of BYOD, and the fact that most big level corporations are already invested in MSFT, this brought another element. With the security that WP provides, more then Andriod, and the flexibility it provides, more than iOS, WP has the potential to be the replacement to Blackberries as the preferred phone provided to those is positions of leadership on a government level, and entice those utilitzing BYOD to look more in WP's direction.

 

[AngrySprintUser]

It really depends on if you're a glass half full, or half empty guy in regards to how you want to interpret such a vague comment.

 

[A895]

He's not just the CEO for WP. That's why he quickly silenced rumors about Xbox and Bing being for sale. He's looking at the next big thing to put MSFT on another level. This is the point that many don't see. WP is a piece of that. Andriod may own the mobile market, but MSFT has them beat in software developement, server enterprise, gaming enterprise, and desktop and laptop hardware. I think he sees WP's ability to integrate the other MSFT components. This is one of the reasons with 8.1 you see VPN and MDM integration. The ability to digitally sign and encrypt emails and have SSL and gateway protocols so that IT departments on a corporate level can all exchange access. Initially WP was only looked to be strictly a mobile platform, but with the popularity of BYOD, and the fact that most big level corporations are already invested in MSFT, this brought another element. With the security that WP provides, more then Andriod, and the flexibility it provides, more than iOS, WP has the potential to be the replacement to Blackberries as the preferred phone provided to those is positions of leadership on a government level, and entice those utilitzing BYOD to look more in WP's direction.

I see that you always look at the Enterprise side of things which is a good market without a doubt. But Microsoft is now having to fave the fact that the consumer market is where they really need to shine.

You can the own the Enterprise smartphone market but what's that 5-10% of total smartphone market compared to the other 90-95% that you don't have a presence in. They want to be mass consumer friendly that's why things are cheaper and they are bringing some keyboard and mouse familiarity in Windows 8.

They want to be a part do the consumer market. But the fact remains is before you take on the best fighters in the conference you have to make sure you are trained and ready and know what you need to do before hand. They are just figuring that out now with WP8.1 but they have to also consider that:

1.)Entry level smartphone market is saturated. Android has and continues to rule this roost but they are just now making decent phones for this segment. Nokia has definitely gained some fans here as well as grow WP market share.

2.) The high end is getting saturated. We have now reached the point where you don't need to upgrade very 6 months or year, phones are lasting 2 years now. What would make those who have spent 2 years on another platform move to WP?

3.) Smartphone market is going to change this year and next year a lot. Not only is iOS going to have a larger iPhone which no doubt will get a lot of people off of Android, Google is going forward with Android Silver which is Hugh end devices running stock android with lots of marketing with strict guidelines. There might even be a UI refresh on Android if leaks are to be believed.

Android and iOS are not just sitting on their laurels. Microsoft has the added advantage of Xbox and Windows but they still fail to leverage it correctly so that they can force people to move or get Devs on.

Sent from my XT907 using Mobile Nations mobile app

 

[Reflexx]

Well there was also this:

The man is pretty direct. This was a bombshell to me.

The quote:

Kara: Were you in favor of the Nokia deal when it was first struck?

Satya: "I'm not going to answer that."

I think that Mr. Nadella wishes Microsoft had not acquired the phone company because it leaves Microsoft saddled with lots of employees, patents and technology to fight a battle his heart's not really in.

Not good.

He wasn't initially on board with it. Neither was Gates. It was pushed by Ballmer.

Eventually Ballmer won over Nadella. Gates was still against it though.

Check this out: http://forums.windowscentral.com/ge...scussion/284192-why-ballmer-stepped-down.html
​

 

[George Jenkinson]

I don't think that there's much spurious about this comment looking solely at the context you've quoted...

The reference to what would make us better, is linked directly to the stat of 4%. i.e. what would make us better than 4% of global market share? He doesn't answer that question in the quotes above, but one has to do quite a bit of grammatical gymnastics to make it sound as though MS are about to drop WP.

 

[Jan Tomsic]

Software like the Surface Pro 3?

I think they make the Surface line to show what's possible, and to show OEMs what kind of device to make, kind of like they want OEMs to copy the Surface.
Even Google as a software company makes the Nexus line (well they don't make it, they just design it and develop software) to show what's possible or to make an example. I think M$ want's those bulgy ugly old style 1366*768 15,6" 3kg laptops out of the picture and push slim, sexy and affordable computers, much like macbook air (cheap part doesn't apply here), because even with all the hype about ultrabooks and tablets, the computers I see in local stores mostly offer fat laptops (400~1000€; pentium dual core to core i7) and then there's Sony Vaio line (pro is super thin) which starts at 1400€. Surface is of course also expensive, but the i3 version is comparable to the iPad, and I think i3 is still more capable then ARM. They want the 'Mac is sexy and Windows PCs are ugly (think thinkpad, not very pretty machine, or just any fat laptop really)' thinking gone by showing that a Windows PC/tablet can be just as trendy and hip, and with the surface they're succeeding, there's a lot of hype going on about it of course it ends once people start talking that iPad has more apps then windows 8, but iPad and Surface clearly target different audience.

 

[Jaskys]

conspiracy

 

[Pierre Blackwell]

I see that you always look at the Enterprise side of things which is a good market without a doubt. But Microsoft is now having to fave the fact that the consumer market is where they really need to shine.

You can the own the Enterprise smartphone market but what's that 5-10% of total smartphone market compared to the other 90-95% that you don't have a presence in. They want to be mass consumer friendly that's why things are cheaper and they are bringing some keyboard and mouse familiarity in Windows 8.

They want to be a part do the consumer market. But the fact remains is before you take on the best fighters in the conference you have to make sure you are trained and ready and know what you need to do before hand. They are just figuring that out now with WP8.1 but they have to also consider that:

1.)Entry level smartphone market is saturated. Android has and continues to rule this roost but they are just now making decent phones for this segment. Nokia has definitely gained some fans here as well as grow WP market share.

2.) The high end is getting saturated. We have now reached the point where you don't need to upgrade very 6 months or year, phones are lasting 2 years now. What would make those who have spent 2 years on another platform move to WP?

3.) Smartphone market is going to change this year and next year a lot. Not only is iOS going to have a larger iPhone which no doubt will get a lot of people off of Android, Google is going forward with Android Silver which is Hugh end devices running stock android with lots of marketing with strict guidelines. There might even be a UI refresh on Android if leaks are to be believed.

Android and iOS are not just sitting on their laurels. Microsoft has the added advantage of Xbox and Windows but they still fail to leverage it correctly so that they can force people to move or get Devs on.

Sent from my XT907 using Mobile Nations mobile app

I agree with you and so does MSFT which is why you see a shift in their direction. Taking the restrictions off of developers, and price points for Office on certain devices shows that they are trying to reach a more consumer centric dynamic. At the same time I don't think they are ignoring the fact of what else they have their hands in, and how they are ultimately trying to interconnect them all to enhance the complete MSFT experience. That's why I mentioned the BYOD because that aspect of enterprise is quickly taking corporations by storm. I think MSFT realizes they they may never make even a remote imprint in the saturated smartphone market dominated by Andiod, but I also think they realize they don't have to if they can link the WP experience to the rest of MSFT suite. A college student with a Dell laptop, an Xbox and an Andriod phone may take a second look at a WP if he or she knows they can link that phone seemlessly to all other devices to maximize the user experience. I think this is what Satya sees as really the only why WP can be considered over its iOS and Andriod counterparts. Competing on a strictly mobile level isn't going to cut it for WP as far as Andriod is concerned, though it will interesting to see what impact it has on the iPhone as their market share is expected to drop as WP and Andriod increase.
Ultimately WP is trying to get people to give it a second look where as before people weren't even looking in their direction before anything else.

 

[breakingpoint0]

To me it sounds like he is just saying that while Windows Phone isn't the greatest, he is looking at the next great thing to pull people in, rather than worry about what is going on right now. They are forward pointing.

​But I agree with others, it's very vague what he said, which shouldn't be surprising.

 

[sarahtsang]

agree!

I believe he is referring to ways to improve WP experience, not to shut it down and look for something else.

 

[herbertsnow]

Satya also made love to all our wives.

 

[mparker]

Software like the Surface Pro 3?

Mind you, I'm deeply infatuated with the SP3. If I hadn't recently bought a Lenovo X1 Carbon I'd be all over the SP3. But this line from the SP3 presentation really caught my attention:

I am sure, Satya, I am sure, that this is the tablet that can replace the laptop.

My thought at the time is that this is a guy who was on his last mulligan. I don't think Nadella is interested in hardware, I think he's absolutely serious about the software and services thing. The only reason they're in hardware is (a) legacy projects and (b) worries about hardware vendor lock-out, which was illegal when MS did it but absolutely cool when anybody else does it.

 

[Chris Sandiford]

Sounds to me like you are the eternal pessimist, glass half empty kinda guy.

"Every cloud has a silver lining"

"Yeah but I bet it's a raincloud..."

 

[Jazmac]

Well there was also this:

The man is pretty direct. This was a bombshell to me.

The quote:

Kara: Were you in favor of the Nokia deal when it was first struck?

Satya: "I'm not going to answer that."

I think that Mr. Nadella wishes Microsoft had not acquired the phone company because it leaves Microsoft saddled with lots of employees, patents and technology to fight a battle his heart's not really in.

Not good.

I think its easy to read misinformation into a story like this. He was talking to known fire breathing dragon, Walk Mossberg, known for his hate of Windows Phone. He was smart to not speak on WP to that audience because the questions would have been unspeakable.

 

[Great deal]

Re/Code, the site run by Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher, is having a conference in SoCal this week, and Satya Nadella is a guest speaker. Look at this quote regarding WP:

Walt: What do you have to change that caused you to miss those turns. The smartphone was a pretty big deal. You were making them. you were making sort-of, kind-of smartphones. Then iPhone came along and Android came along.

Nadella: It's an interesting question, but should it be the one he is worried about. We have 4 percent global mobile market share. I think the question is what is the next thing that is going to make us better.

That sure sounds like he is giving up on WP8 as a platform, doesn't it? Remember, the Nokia purchase was not his idea, it was Ballmer's.

Don't just say I'm wrong, tell me why.

Your Wrong..reason? Your interpretation

 

[fatclue_98]

To the OP: Taffy doesn't stretch as much as your interpretation.

WP is in a VERY distant third place and he's basically saying that unless MS pulls a Doug Flutie, they will remain there. Jeez, almost 30 years later that little f****r still boils my UM blood.

 

[DJCBS]

Well there was also this:

The man is pretty direct. This was a bombshell to me.

The quote:

Kara: Were you in favor of the Nokia deal when it was first struck?

Satya: "I'm not going to answer that."

I think that Mr. Nadella wishes Microsoft had not acquired the phone company because it leaves Microsoft saddled with lots of employees, patents and technology to fight a battle his heart's not really in.

Not good.

Both Nadella and Bill Gates were more intelligent than Ballmer. They both knew they would profit more from a stronger partnership with Nokia than from buying their D&S division and losing the exclusivity of Nokia's patents (which all remain with Nokia) and the Nokia brand power.

More so, Nadella has dropped, if you notice, the "devices & services" speech of Ballmer. His "mobile first, cloud first" talks show that he's set on keeping Microsoft doing what Microsoft does best: software.
And from what I've heard him say about devices, it seems Microsoft is only concerned in producing a "show off" device that includes everything they have best to offer on a certain platform. That's the strategy now with Surface and I wouldn't be surprised to see the same strategy applied to any Microsoft produced smartphone.

Which also explains why Nokia's ex-D&S division was moved into a separate company - Microsoft Mobile - and not into Microsoft itself. If Microsoft Mobile doesn't do well, it's much easier to shut down or massively resize than if it were inside Microsoft itself. Not to mention, if MM fails, it won't affect Microsoft's shareholders.

They won't drop Windows Phone. But I'm pretty sure, as I always was, you'll finally notice the difference between having Nokia and NOT having Nokia around.

 

[ntice_521]

It's kind of funny that after Microsoft decided to buy Nokia, Google sold off Motorola.

Microsoft under Ballmer was always "skating where the puck was".

 

[EC Translating Services]

Re/Code, the site run by Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher, is having a conference in SoCal this week, and Satya Nadella is a guest speaker. Look at this quote regarding WP:

Walt: What do you have to change that caused you to miss those turns. The smartphone was a pretty big deal. You were making them. you were making sort-of, kind-of smartphones. Then iPhone came along and Android came along.

Nadella: It's an interesting question, but should it be the one he is worried about. We have 4 percent global mobile market share. I think the question is what is the next thing that is going to make us better.

That sure sounds like he is giving up on WP8 as a platform, doesn't it? Remember, the Nokia purchase was not his idea, it was Ballmer's.

Don't just say I'm wrong, tell me why.

As others said, my understanding is that he's planning to improve, not close down the shop. This further reinforces my impression and that of the others who went in my same direction: ‘Microsoft employee’ leaks Windows Phone 8.2 features - The Times of India