14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is often accused of leaving Windows phones behind and focusing on other platforms, including those that do not belong to the company, as is the case of Android and iOS, but according to Terry Myerson, this is not at all the case.
The Microsoft Executive Vice President of Windows and Devices explained in an interview with ZDNet that Redmond’s strategy is not about growth and mostly comes down to what he calls technical strategy, adding that ARM chips are one of the company’s key focuses in this market.
Windows Phone has collapsed below the 1 percent market share, getting closer to BlackBerry and not to Android and iOS as everyone hoped a few years ago, but Terry Myerson says that improving the share is not the actual strategy of the company.
“Technically, there are really two things that are unique about Windows Mobile. One is cellular connectivity and the other one is the ARM processors that are there. And I think both cellular connectivity and ARM processors have a role in the technical landscape of the future,” Myerson said.
“So we're going to continue to invest in ARM and cellular. And while I'm not saying what type of device, I think we'll see devices there, Windows devices, that use ARM chips. I think we'll see devices that have cellular connectivity.”
So what’s going to happen with the Lumia brand?
But the main question still concerns the future of Windows phones. With Microsoft remaining mostly tight-lipped on everything regarding its mobile vision, customers don’t know what to expect next, with controversial rumors pointing to delays of the eagerly anticipated Surface Phone but also to the complete demise of the Lumia brand.
In the interview, Myerson provided a rather vague response, confirming only that ARM processors would be one of the areas where Microsoft will invest for the future of the platform, suggesting that Windows 10 Mobile will continue to be improved - a thing that Myerson said on several occasions.
“When you stop investing in these things, it's super hard, super, super hard to restart. And at Microsoft we have a few of those examples where we stopped. Sometimes, when you're investing into growth. it's easier, but when you're investing for technical strategy or things like that, sometimes people can question it - like you're doing right now. But especially among your readers, I don't think there's much debate that ARM processors have a role in the future. And cellular connectivity does as well,” he said.
Myerson hasn’t commented on the possible demise of the Lumia brand or the existence of the Surface Phone, so this interview basically comes down to Microsoft reaffirming its commitment to Windows 10 Mobile and nothing more. The software giant is still betting big on partners to improve the mobile ecosystem, but as far as first-party devices are concerned, it’s all very uncertain at the moment.