Software : Analysis: Ballmer leaves Microsoft. But in what shape? |
- Analysis: Ballmer leaves Microsoft. But in what shape?
- Looking to pull out of Maps darkness, Apple buys another transit app maker
- Why wait? Lenovo takes missing Windows 8 Start menu into its own hands
| Analysis: Ballmer leaves Microsoft. But in what shape? Posted:  So the recent Microsoft reorganisation really was Steve Ballmer's last throw of the dice. In the biggest news to hit the PC industry for some time, the CEO has decided now's the time to go. But in what shape does he leave the company? Ballmer is a sales guy, so figures first. Microsoft recorded a whopping $77.85 billion in revenue, with operating income at $26.74 billion during the financial year just passed. That's not the earnings of an unsuccessful company, and Ballmer has played a role in Microsoft's rise and rise that only William Henry Gates III can better. I'd be surprised if Ballmer wouldn't have wanted to stick around at a successful Microsoft, so there are several possible conclusions – firstly that he was pushed. Secondly, he doesn't want to stick around for the long haul and wants to go fishing. Thirdly, that he doesn't think the future for Microsoft is that rosy. Finally, and most unlikely, he could have been at odds with its new direction. This final point is a little moot. Microsoft was clear in its One Microsoft vision statement that it wants to be more of a "devices and services" company. Ballmer played a big part in this reinvention.
But certainly this news puts question marks over the wisdom and reasoning of removing key personnel during recent times, most notably head of Windows Steven Sinofsky late last year just a month after the release of Windows 8 and the so-far, so fail Windows RT. Lost confidenceThe aim of the reorganisation was to be more siloed, more able to react to developments in the industry. Microsoft has long lacked the ability to be lithe and react quickly - exactly the opposite of key competitors like Google. It didn't put much stock in smartphones until it was a bit too late, the same with online cloud services and tablets. Microsoft now has sizeable offerings in these spaces, but they often don't hang together as well as the competition.
This is not an organisation that can't make money, but it is one that is losing some confidence from customers. And, crucially, investors. As the Associated Press succinctly put it in its article about the Microsoft reorganisation, "During Ballmer's reign, Microsoft's stock has slipped by nearly 40 percent even as the company's annual revenue has roughly quadrupled from $20 billion to nearly $80 billion." A lot of people are still buying PCs. A lot of people are still buying Windows and Office. We and many others love Windows Phone and it is destined for a decent third place behind iOS and Android. Office 365 is a really compelling offering. Despite the Xbox One shenanigans, it'll still sell bucket loads of consoles. But investors clearly haven't been impressed over recent years by Microsoft's pace compared to Google and Apple. And Microsoft hasn't helped itself through several big booboos that have not endeared it to the public, analysts press and investors – but have been music to the ears of rivals. Although it will come good and the idea has merit, the Ballmer/Sinofsky tenure has seen Windows now transformed into a confused and conflicted operating system with huge numbers of terrible apps – not least those from Microsoft itself.
Efforts in the tablet market have been a disaster. Surface Pro is a thoroughly decent mobile PC, but Surface RT has been so poorly marketed, received and thought-out that it is impossible not to wonder how a company with such a wealth of resources can get something so very wrong. Added to which there were numerous foot-in-mouth moments like his criticism of Dropbox and denouncement of the iPhone. What the new guy needs to doThe CEO of the new One Microsoft needs to clear up the mess of the Windows/tablet strategy and capitalise on Microsoft's other strengths. Clearly Steven Anthony Ballmer feels he's not the right guy to do it. "There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time," he says. It's probably for the long term good of the company that he's stepping out before Microsoft is too far into its new era. Whoever picks up the baton will take charge of one of the most remarkable and profitable companies the world has ever seen, yet one that has multi-billion dollar challenges ahead. A new broom could be the very best thing for it. But, whoever it is, they probably won't do this. |
| Looking to pull out of Maps darkness, Apple buys another transit app maker Posted:  If you're sick of the blue dot of directional death emanating from your Apple Maps, relief (in some form) may soon be on its way. According to a report by tech writer and former Wall Street Journal reporter Jessica Lessin, Apple recently acquired Embark, a small startup that builds free transit apps. Apple was light on specifics, but confirmed the deal to Lessin with its standard "we buy smaller companies from time to time, but we won't tell you why or what we're going to do with them" line. We've asked Embark and Apple for comment, and will update this story when we hear back. Lessin noted Embark built apps for both iOS and Android, however now there's no sign of an Embark app in the Google Play Store. What's more, its website only lists 10 public transit information apps that are available in the Apple App Store. Show me the wayApple has infamously dealt with a radically inadequate mapping experience ever since it ditched Google's nav services in iOS 6. One of the major complaints when Apple launched its own Maps was a lack of public transportation information. CEO Tim Cook admitted the failure of Apple Maps in September, and Cupertino has since embarked (sorry) to patch the issues, including purchasing a smattering of map-related services. Last month, word surfaced that Apple bought public transit app HopStop as well as location data startup Locationary. Apple's plans for these companies still aren't clear, but perhaps we'll see a massively improved Maps when iOS 7 hits the public airwaves, very likely next month. |
| Why wait? Lenovo takes missing Windows 8 Start menu into its own hands Posted:  Microsoft's Windows 8.1 is due out Oct. 17, but Chinese OEM Lenovo is apparently sick of waiting for the Windows 8 update to bring back the traditional Windows Start menu. The company decided to take matters into its own hands, and the maker of Start menu software Pokki announced this week that future Lenovo PCs will have its custom Start menu pre-installed. Pokki, made last year by a start-up called Sweetlabs, adds a Start menu to Windows 8 that's similar to what was found in Windows 7 and earlier OS versions. Bloomberg reported that three million Windows 8 users have already downloaded the Pokki software independently from Sweetlabs' website. The benefits of PokkiWindows 8.1 brings back the Start menu in part, but it's still not a full traditional desktop experience. That's why software like Pokki could remain relevant even as Microsoft attempts to fix its own missteps. Lenovo's Pokki-equipped computers will arrive in the next few weeks starting in English-speaking countries and eventually covering all Lenovo computers globally. Pokki also includes an app store, and part of Sweetlabs' deal with Lenovo is that the companies will share the profits from app sales. The start-up is backed by Intel and Google Ventures, and Bloomberg reported that it's in talks with other manufacturers to include its Start menu on their systems as well. Windows improvementsLenovo is currently the top PC maker in the world, and unlike other OEMs it seems the company has had no trouble selling Windows machines lately. Besides the addition of a Windows Start menu, Windows 8.1 adds myriad improvements to both the traditional desktop and the modern tile interface portions of the operating system. It also includes Internet Explorer 11, the new version of Microsoft's browser that's said to be a massive improvement. |
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