14 DAY TRIAL // Cisco Chief Executive Office John Chambers has downplayed the role and impact that Microsoft will deliver by entering the unified communications market. Chambers focused on the fact that unified communications are an area where Cisco has a considerable advantage over its competitors. And even more so when it comes to Microsoft. Chambers revealed that the Redmond Company is lagging Cisco at a distance of over three years, and then added insult to injury by stating: "We've never lost a game when we've had a three-year lead? It's a battle we fully intend to win."
But it is not a battle that Cisco will fight alone. At the Cisco Partner Summit in the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, Chambers threw around a few heavy names. SAP, Salesforce.com, Google are among the potential partners that Cisco is focusing on with its efforts in the unified communications market. However, there is another name that was proposed and that would certify Cisco's position in relation to Microsoft.
Cisco is currently negotiating with Apple on bringing unified communications to the Apple iPhone.
Chambers revealed that while the ultimate decision belongs to Apple and that a partnership is not guaranteed: "I'd be surprised if we don't make progress on several fronts. We're a believer in interoperability."
Microsoft has proven to be extremely focused on unified communications. And the reason is simple. The Redmond Company currently saturates the market with the Office productivity suite. Microsoft will use Office's ubiquity as leverage to gain market share in the unified communications area. In this context, the Redmond Company did not hold back when it came to pouring R&D founding into unified communications and VOIP.