14 DAY TRIAL // It’s not a secret that Microsoft isn’t very keen on keeping its mobile platform alive, but the company has now made it official in the annual report for the 2017 fiscal year that investing in phones is not a thing that it plans to do.
Microsoft explained that AI is now a company priority, with mobile nowhere to be seen in the corporate vision statement, despite the fact that CEO Satya Nadella has been promoting the mobile-first, cloud-first approach ever since he replaced Steve Ballmer at the helm of the company.
But as CNBC reported today, smartphones have been removed from the financial filling, mostly because Microsoft no longer plans to invest in mobile, or at least not in a way that could make it a top product.
“Our strategic vision is to compete and grow by building best-in-class platforms and productivity services for an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge infused with AI,” Microsoft explained in the financial report. The old statement was the following, with the emphasis belonging to us: “Our strategic vision is to compete and grow as a productivity and platform company for the mobile-first and cloud-first world.”
Big bet on iPhone and Android
Seeing Microsoft investing in AI and giving up on mobile is not at all a surprise, especially given the company’s activity in the smartphone market in the last couple of years. No new devices or major software updates were released lately and Microsoft remained completely tight-lipped on its mobile plans, despite reiterating its commitment for keeping the platform alive on several occasions.
But even though Windows phones are dead, this doesn’t mean Microsoft is retiring from the mobile business entirely. Instead, the software giant is investing big in iPhone and Android, as it wants all of its services to become available to those who are using a device powered by Google’s or Apple’s operating systems.
This strategy has led to criticism from its own fans, as the hardcore Windows Phone users believe Microsoft shouldn’t invest so much in rival platforms, but focus on its own.
In return, Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore replied the company does not hate Windows Phone and it’s the love the company has for the platform that’s making them go forward with bringing more features on the iPhone. Furthermore, Belfiore himself admitted to using an Android phone, highlighting the Microsoft apps that are available on Google’s platform.