Who is in your wish list for Microsoft to acquire?

[abel46]

If they buy Snap (Snapchat) then their mobile might have a chance.

 

[Tegument]

TeamViewer
Atlassian
Tableau
Razer
Spotify
Adobe

 

[Drael646464]

If they buy Snap (Snapchat) then their mobile might have a chance.

So you think the defining feature for the success of a mobile device platform, is whether teens can use it to gossip and send each other nudes?

 

[Ron-F]

Depends of what they want. I don't believe the should buy really big companies, unless is strategically important to do so. As such, I don't see Microsoft buying Valve, Adobe, or others. However, some of the previous picks are interesting:

1) Unity -- This would bring a whole set of new development tools that would benefit Microsoft, as well as a big developer community to the fold.

2) Fitbit -- The price is probably good right now and, although I am not sure how committed Microsoft is interested in going to the wearable market, it could provide a good entry to the consumer mind, as well as the health and perhaps IoT's markets.

3) Stack -- The should have done it a few years ago. Nowadays, I don't think it would make sense at current prices.

4) Lots of AI startups that we probably don't know -- That would be a better investment as AI is already a core technology and it will be even more important in the future.

 

[ochhanz]

Absolutely not Steam, I can only see them making a mess off it or eventually kill it to make place for their own store. Besides, why would Gabe even want to? Steam is doing very well. I think working closer with Steam would be a good idea though.
Maybe Unity.

 

[DontBeEvil10]

Mine in that order:

1. Atlassian
2. Adobe
3. Steam
4. Stack Exchange
5. Docker
6. Autodesk

ea (origin)/steam
adobe
stack exchange
user voice
todoist
spotify/deezer/amazon music
Netflix/hulu/amazon video
aws (amazon)
slack
here
evernote
viber/telegram
unity
fitbit

 

[tofab123]

• Unity
• A global translation company that can translate Bing and Cortana into any language
• Any company that has to the skills to deploy Edge to the store, so it can be updated independent of windows

 

[Hirox K]

Don't. Microsoft should handle that themselves with a wrapper.

So, by wrapping it,
1. the UWP can work 100% flawless, no mater what API, dll, middleware, bad code a dev use? Flawless, no mater what kinda PC combination (HW, SW, driver, background services, etc) a user is using?
2. Are you talking about emulation? Why don't you wanna run game natively on a WoA? Andromeda is a small device that you might be able to dock it on a gamepad (some OEM will def make a 5 or 6 inch portable PC, Fujitsu did), don't you wanna run Ori, Romancing Saga, Cuphead, Enter the Gungeon and other lesser HW demanding games on a WoA? It's a Win10PC after all, why not?

I don't think Steam benefits MS. UWP is starting to become the focus in IT (there are things you just can't achieve with Win32) and it will not go away cause MS want it. What benefit is there for teaching freshmen how to code & compile a Win32 app? Years later, which community size will be bigger?

* I'm not a professor (but I do share my view with some professors and teachers). I'm a lead programmer in a major game studio / publisher in Japan. Entered the business with no resume and interview and now someone from US (and the other major Japanese game studio / publisher) is trying to reach out to me.

 

[PixelTracer]

Twitter.

Pandora or Spotify.

Reddit.

LogMeIn.

Discord.

 

[qlql]

My idea won’t be popular but I will list it anyway. I think that Microsoft should be split apart or some parts spun off
Merger with the following

• Hitachi: then split into two companies; one M1 (Xbox, Surface, Windows, Bing, One Drive, Office, Skype and Hitachi Electronics.) and M2 (Azure, Hitachi Data Systems, Microsoft Research, Hitachi R&D, Hitachi Defense Systems & Hitachi Solutions America)
  
  In this case Microsoft would probably end up just being the software divison of Hitachi since it is so diversified.
  
  
• Toshiba
• Honda (spin off automotive business),
• Toyota (spin off automotive business)
• Northrop Grumman
• Kawasaki
• Mitsubishi
• Thermo Fisher Scientific (spin off all consumer products)
• Hoffmann-La Roche (spin off all consumer products)

With each of the following above I would remove all consumer products and let Microsoft + whomever be a Biotechnology, Engineering, Software & Research company. With Windows, Office, Xbox, Surface and any electronics or consumer divisons of the other company be seperate company with Microsoft owning a sizeable stake.

Acquire the following

• NXP Semiconductors
• Boston Dynamics
• AMD
• Texas Instruments
• IRobot

Dream merger : Five way merger of Microsoft, Hitachi, Kawasaki, Northrop Grumman, Boston Dynamics while spinning off the consumer business

 

[PHARM_BOY]

LogMeIn would be a great acquisition.

Apple has partnered with Biotelemetry to enter the healthcare field. I think Microsoft should also enter the healthcare field in some way. Maybe acquire a hearing aid manufacturer and pair a smartphone or wearable to the hearing aid, utilizing voice recognition, and giving a visual confirmation of what is being communicated.