It has been reported that Microsoft’s chief executive Steve Ballmer has been criticising his own products, notably Windows Mobile at Microsoft’s Venture Capital Summit. One can only wonder why it’s taken him so long. You would think that falling market share of Windows powered smart phones, the success or offerings from Apple and Google and being dropped by both Motorola and Palm would have given him the hint by now!
The press was barred from the event, but according to Australia’s IT News, venture capitalist Paul Jozefak sent a tweet from the event floor during Ballmer’s address to delegates. The tweet said, “Ballmer said they screwed up with Windows Mobile. Wishes they had already launched WM7. They completely revamped the team.”
It’s about time they did something but ‘revamping’ the team might not do the trick either. Whilst Microsoft has been playing around with an inherently poor OS for mobiles attempting to make it plausible, competitors have developed brand three brand new operating systems that blitz Windows Mobile with Intels’ Moblin system due out anytime.
I’ve suggested it before, why don’t they just put 100 programmers in a room, feed them beer and pizza, and tell them to come up with something new and fantastic, at which time they’ll be paid a hefty bonus. Palm did it. Surely Microsoft can afford it, in fact, can they afford not to do it?