14 DAY TRIAL // It has recently emerged that at least two Microsoft investors are pressuring Satya Nadella to make some dramatic changes in Redmond’s product lines, with Surface, Xbox, and Bing said to be among the services that could be retired if their plans get the go-ahead.
Now a report by Bloomberg reveals that Mason Morfit, president of ValueAct Capital, the company that recently purchased a hefty stake in Microsoft and which will soon be granted a seat in the board, wants the software giant to switch the focus from Windows to other products.
Windows is undoubtedly Microsoft’s main cash cow right now, but according to the report, Morfit is pressuring the board to push the company in a totally different direction.
According his plan, the Office productivity suite would become the top product in Microsoft’s lineup, with future developments to allow users to install it on Android and iOS devices as well.
This way, Morfit believes that Microsoft won’t remain addicted to the desktop market, as the company still needs to expand its efforts in the mobile industry, as the Surface project has until now failed to excite.
Chances are, however, that Satya Nadella won’t discontinue any of these projects, as he has already explained that he’s a strong supporter of the Xbox, while both the Surface and Bing are said to be key products in Microsoft’s transition to devices and services.