Satya Nadella confirms he wasn't in favor of Microsoft's Nokia acquisition

[Philip Hamm]

Glad to see I'm not the only one who loved Windows 8. In many ways it's better on a tablet than Windows 10.

 

[milkybuet]

Translation: "I don't wanna be in a market where Microsoft is not a leader, and I'm not willing to invest resources necessary to become a leader."

 

[Stephen Townsley]

Nadella said there would be 3 phones a year; a premium flagship, a business phone, and a consumer device. He said continuum was a key differentiator.

Having been saddled with a decision he seems to have headed to the exit door without action on the public statements about phone.

in his book he says trust is a key issue for technology companies. For buyers of Windowsphone based o Nadellas comments I would say their trust was misplaced.

 

[deadonthefloor]

“There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again.”

 

[giridhar kl]

Yes, he did what needs to be done. There are no new takers for the windows phones, except us, the fans. Everyone wants apps - We do not have proper banking apps in the platform, many major games like clash of clans (pls don't remind me about age of empires when all my friends are playing clash Royale or clash of clans), snapchat etc..etc...and even if they are available, they lack the fluidity and consistency of the same apps that exist on IOS and Android.

The app situation remained a dead end. Its not at all improving and u cant put the blame on the developers as it costs them lot of money to develop the apps for the platform and hence they develop only if there are enough takers on the platform, but there aren't enough numbers available because the users adopt the platform only if the required apps are available on the platform and hence the platform is getting neglected. So, neither the consumers are buying windows phones (except we, the fans) nor the developers are making new apps for the platform.

Also, we cant say Microsoft didn't try and directly put the blame on them. We have seen them making lot of improvements to the IOS and Android App bridges and releasing lot of intuitive tools for the visual studio etc etc in order to lure the developers into porting their apps, which the developers didn't care.

So, it is turning out to be a loss making business for them and any CEO, for the time being, will shut down the old 32-bit running mobile wing in order to save the costs involved in its development and may try to re-enter with a rumored 'single' windows OS with C shell for all the devices, once they feel they have the required UWP apps and necessary infrastructure to achieve success. Till then, its better to use their monopoly in PCs to draw more developers to develop UWP apps for the platform.

I love the UI and for that sake I am still using a Lumia 640, but I am losing that little bit of patience and urge to stick on to the platform left in me, as I am losing a lot for sticking on to the platform, while my friends are enjoying a lot on other platforms. And I cant settle for a below par experience when people on other platforms are enjoying, in this 21st century. So, I am making the switch and will be optimistic for seeing the success of windows mobile in the future as I still love the platform.

Disclaimer : These are my own views and not meant to offend anyone.

 

[mdefran65]

Re: Nadella says “I did not get why the world needed the third ecosystem in phones”

If he already harbor this thought at the beginning, it's no surprise where Windows Mobile is now. On the other hand , it would be totally different if he thought the other way. It's all in the mind.

I think it could have worked with lots of marketing and higher grade metirails, but I agree if there is no passion inthe 1st place it will be poorly excuted.

 

[DaQuantumFro]

As much as people (including me) disagree with the entire retrenchment aka retreat from mobile I see Nadella's point. Windows Phone needed to do more in order to justify its existence and compete against the like of iOS and Android. It couldn't just me a me too product mimicking the competition. Also buying Nokia meant taking on the debt and issues the company faced even before Elop took helm. That being said having nothing to offer the market is just as bad if not a worse look for Redmond. This means they have no real presence in the biggest computing market by far and across incomes. It also diminishes the perception of Microsoft as a tech company not having any mobile product. I think Nadella is short sighted in moving the company away from the consumer computing market and I do think it will impact the bets he is making in mixed reality.

 

[Annakanna]

Re: Nadella says “I did not get why the world needed the third ecosystem in phones”

If he already harbor this thought at the beginning, it's no surprise where Windows Mobile is now. On the other hand , it would be totally different if he thought the other way. It's all in the mind.

I totally agree, he never wanted it to succeed, he never believed in it's potential, so it is where it is today.ir it could have been a totally different outcome under Steve b.

 

[dpz]

I agree with a lot these comments. If he really felt that way he should've just told us so.

I know that they have plans for mobile, but right now...it feels like they don't truly care. And reading this

I did not get why the world needed the third ecosystem in phones...

just reinforces that negative feeling I have right now.

I keep hearing that Microsoft has plans to create a Windows Core OS that is as nimble as a mobile OS but as powerful as a desktop OS(when you need it to be). Unfortunately, since they were not able to establish a presence in the mobile arena (Where apps are necessary) I don't think their efforts are going to work. I hope I am wrong. I hope that they can

change the rules

.

All I know is that if I was dating a someone for a few years only to find out that they never felt the same way about me, I would be hurt and never trust them again. People would tell me, "Didn't you see the way she treated you?" and I will say, "Yes. I saw the signs, I rationalized her actions, and I believed her promises. She lied to me. I realize that now." :straight:

 

[Wevenhuis]

Re: Nadella says “I did not get why the world needed the third ecosystem in phones”

If he already harbor this thought at the beginning, it's no surprise where Windows Mobile is now. On the other hand , it would be totally different if he thought the other way. It's all in the mind.

From my standpoint, living in Europe. I have come to know Nokia as a trusted mobile brand and cultural icon. It was horrifying to see Nokia absorbed the way it happened. Was also wishing well for the obvious inevible layoffs and the end of Nokia as we know them. That was clear from the start of the negitions and news. I was even more surprised to see Nokia ripped apart by microsoft buying out the mobile branch. while for some it meant a new opportunity, in the end it affects many people in many ways for good and for bad. Personally I think Microsoft went the wrong way with Nokia. They should have partnered with them as an exclusive partnership deal for a limited run and sharing of patents in the deal. That way grow and develop windows mobile further in collaboration. And perhaps we could still have Nokia devices, today.
Nokia developers showed a lot of innovation in software development for nokia devices, where microsoft developers seemed to linger. But I feel the creative freedom was lost fast with the integration, and Microsoft not really knowing what they wanted windows phone OS to go, chosing patents of developers. There was offcourse the battle of the mobile OS with android and iOS. But I think Micrsoft still had many things going good with Belfiore's windows phone experience. I think if they were allowed to expand their creative freedoms more and sooner with the nokia developers, without corporate takeover, I think windows phone could still have become what we wanted of it.
I think out of respect for Nokia, Nadella is right about not being for the aquisition. I think the good thing that did come out of it is the development of a great OS mobile design. Somthing I wish was standard on all nokia symbian devices. I think windows phone on nokia devices would have been a great business. I still think the UI is better than android or iOS, even though it may lack (behind) in features and apps.
It's a pity to see the focus of microsoft is still increasing business. It's understandable economically. But society has also increasingly changed over time, work and life blance is becoming increasingly intertwined, as it its hardware and users accustomed to a platform. I think it is not possible to keep the consumer market in focus as well as the business and comsumerspace come closer together. I think they should still be dedicated to phone and mobile going forward. I'm not sure the continuous refreshes are always wise. As I see microsoft now, they have a lot of products and services going for them. It's time to slow down, implement, and improve fast, because windows and the devices are still rough around edge's, and there's enough room to smoothen them out. I think more business and consumer customers will be happy with this, increase branding satisfaction, and then it's time for the next chapter.

 

[editguy]

If I could get that man fired today, I'd do it.

You'd have to own the majority of the stock. Like it or not, when Nadella took over the stock price was around $26 a share. Today it's nearly triple that. That's what shareholders care about. They couldn't care less about what we want. And, sadly, those of us that love Windows phones were always a minority.

 

[Abdul9]

Ok time for my own two cents. I have been saying for years now that MS has been doing too little. Wp took off when Nokia entered the game and they (Nokia) really pushed the Os to it's limit due to MS's inability to put enough work into the OS. WP was fun to use because Nokia made it a fun to us, without them many would have left WP a long time ago. The WP market started growing and then suddenly Nokia was fed up and wanted to sell. MS offered to buy and during this period which was over a year there was no dam Flagship! Did they think this wouldn't have any consequences? Even worse they discontinued the lumia 1520 in that period of time. Even when they finally released a flagship, it was an excuse of a flagship riddled with many many bugs and then one started notices how little MS was even putting into developing the OS. In-short they just seemed to stop altogether. Did they think they'll get returns by not being serious? MS killed WP not the developers, not google, not anyone is to blame for MS themselves. They had a market that was growing steadily but decided to just destroy it cos why not?

 

[salazka]

We already knew that?

He was wrong. Windows Phone 8.0 was different. Unique. All this differentiation went away with 8.1. What a horrible strategy, by an uninspired, narrow minded executive. Joe Belfiore. The guy should have been fired. Banished from Microsoft and with restriction order not to even go near the premises. Yet there he is, leading one more crucial customer facing service, Cortana.

It is not a coincidence even Cortana, an aspiring and widely respected DPA now trails behind, and even had to partner with Alexa so it doesn't disappear forever. I think maybe Microsoft assigns to him all the projects they need killed. He is perfect for that.

 

[vEEP pEEP]

Nokia was purchased before Nadella was CEO. Yes his job is to make money for his shareholders. But did they really put an effort in to WP? Nokia had HUGE brand recognition in Asia - that should have been their primary focus. Sure create a flagship phone, but concentrate on the low end stuff. Like the Nokia 520, and get a base in the world that was not saturated. And let's face it MS is TERRIBLE at marketing to consumers.

But I understand - buying a manufacturing unit - tough.

Maybe they should have bought Blackberry.

Nadella's vision is cloud and B2B - and in that aspect - he is doing well.

If MS never bought Nokia....I'd be on Android right now...

Fun ride.

Part of me thinks they still have a chance with ARM and W10....in some new incarnation....#hope

 

[etphoto]

Part of me thinks they still have a chance with ARM and W10....in some new incarnation....#hope

Texto del enlace

A chance. The idea and concept of Windows Core is pretty interesting but so was universal Windows apps and we say were that went. Why would app makers show up when MS is targeting business? They wouldn't.


Twitter: @PhotographyET

 

[JM_Thomas]

I see Nadella killing Windows Mobile, in whatever for it takes, slowly over time, but he will kill it like any other CEO does, by slowly strangling it financially.

He is nothing but a quarterly stock price chaser for the stock holders. He has no long range vision like Gates, Ballmer, or even dare I mention his name, Steve Jobs had for Apple. Apple has Tim Cook slowly killing Apple with lack of real innovation, Microsoft has Nutella.

Now there are SOME people at MS with real vision for the long run, but they either leave in frustration, or are sidelined on projects that never leave the build shop i.e. the "Surface Mini" from around 2015.

Imagine if that had actually been ready then, running on ARM hardware, with C-Shell. It would have smoked both Apple and Android devices, but sadly, in typical MS fashion, too long developing means behind the curve in real world marketing.

Maybe things will change, but I am not hopeful at this point. All three of the major mobile OS's have plateaued. Nothing new or revolutionary has hit in what, nearly 6 or 7 years?

That is ages in tech time, yet people still keep buying outdated software that gets a new "skin" (big deal :-( )every year or so, but doesn't really improve all that much. Rather disappointing.

 

[Nico Swart]

Re: Nadella says “I did not get why the world needed the third ecosystem in phones”

If he already harbor this thought at the beginning, it's no surprise where Windows Mobile is now. On the other hand , it would be totally different if he thought the other way. It's all in the mind.

 

[497362]

Totally agree. Nokia already proved it couldn't make good phones. Every one was underpowered. Eg. Flagship 925 with a 400 series processor. What a joke. They were on the way down. It wasn't so much of a purchase but an example of charity going bad. Then MS had to sack them all because they performed as poorly as they did in Nokia. As expected. Taking the loss was the best option by far.

 

[Arko109]

I'd love to see Mac OS on more affordable hardware but I'm not overspending for the privilege of having a glowing apple on my lid.

Lol, the apple is not even glowing on latest MacBooks anymore

 

[Niklas Larsson]

Yep, this i pretty grim. I have been hoping for a turn but this is it. If Ms continue as they do they will be totally out of the consumer side. And that will spill over to enterprise. I dont really see anything they do will turn this around. The killing of groove wasnt to horrible but not a good move. And to completly remove digital music from the store is a disaster.

The xbox is dumbed down to a simple gaming console with some apps on it. It's not enough. The mixed reality wont get any traction. The home speaker thing is already dead.

They are behind in every thin they do and when they do anything is not enough. They dont do any commercial for their stuff, they dont even tell you whats new in their own products. You have to be reading forums and sites like this one to know whats new in windows for example.

I dont really see anything good coming the MS way. I was hoping for the new Windows on ARM but since the apps are going away the OS is DOA already.