Beyond Windows, Microsoft Promises New Platform in 2009 Connected to the Cloud

Microsoft is hammering away at its Windows platforms beyond client and server in order to establish a bridge between the operating system and the cloud. In this context, the Redmond company indicated that its Automotive Platform is also evolving to find a place into the new Software plus Services business strategy. The products of Microsoft’s Automotive Business Unit (ABU) will no longer be software-centric, and as the automotive platform evolves, they will be expanded to also include services.

Upcoming versions of Microsoft Auto, as well as releases of Windows Automotive and company's additional automotive platforms will feature Live Search for Devices. This is just the first step for Microsoft, namely enabling the expansion of in-vehicle infotainment with applications developed to make use of Live Search for Devices. Microsoft is currently planning to make available the new automotive platform by the end of 2009, working to build what it referred to as an integrated product.

For the Redmond giant, the debut of ABU on the new path of S+S is synonymous with the maturity of the business unit. The company revealed that ABU is no longer regarded as an incubation project, and that is now well past its start-up stage. Additionally, Tom Phillips is now the new general manager of ABU, replacing Martin Thall. Phillips is a 16-year Microsoft veteran, and will act not only as the general manager of ABU but also as the lead of the SDA’s Microsoft Global Services Group.

"I want to thank Martin for the phenomenal job he has done. His leadership and business-development acumen were exactly what ABU needed to establish the platform and break through to the next level. As the business evolves, we look to Tom Phillips, with his expertise in bringing new software and services businesses to maturity, to continue to grow and expand the business," explained Tom Gibbons, corporate vice president, Specialized Devices and Applications Group (SDA) at Microsoft.