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Microsoft to Lay Off 7,800 Employees 'Primarily' in its Phone Business

Codestud said:
Competition is a good thing for consumers, and I don't think that an iOS + Android monopoly is a good thing.

Microsoft are not giving up on the Windows Phone software. However, the upcoming introduction of Universal Apps with Windows 10 is probably the last throw of the dice, to see whether this will drive more adoption of Windows tablets and phones.

If this strategy doesn't work, then I guess Windows will then only ever be seen as a desktop and server OS.
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If people really felt that way why are they buying Windows phone?
 
Codestud said:
Competition is a good thing for consumers, and I don't think that an iOS + Android monopoly is a good thing.

Microsoft are not giving up on the Windows Phone software. However, the upcoming introduction of Universal Apps with Windows 10 is probably the last throw of the dice, to see whether this will drive more adoption of Windows tablets and phones.

If this strategy doesn't work, then I guess Windows will then only ever be seen as a desktop and server OS.
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its not a monopoly as you just pointed out iOS + Android
 
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I owned a Motorola Q9 back in 2008, which was running Windows Phone 6 or 7, I believe, and loved the phone. Of course this is before the whole "app craze" blew up. I seriously believe what is holding back Windows Phone OS is the fact that it can't compete with Android or iOS. If you could run the same apps on a Windows Phone OS device that you can with iOS and Android it would make Windows Phone a more desireable device.
 
Binarymix said:
So when will they exit the tablet market, since the market is shrinking as it is?
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Actually, I think the tablet market is about to get lucrative for MS. Even though the Surface Pro is a decent compromise between a tablet and a laptop, it's been hindered in enterprise because of Windows 8/8.1, which most enterprise IT departments have passed on adopting. With the introduction of Windows 10 later this year I think you will see a mass migration of many enterprises from Win 7, and consequently more of an acceptance of the Surface Pro into the enterprise.
 
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The tech marketplace has no mercy. What a long strange saga it has been for this company. I've lived through all of it; my first computer was a Sinclair!

I was a devoted Microsofty until 2009 when I got "NTLDR is missing" a few times too often. How can your OS lose the thing that starts it?

I bought a used, weird looking blue plastic iMac that ran an OS called Tiger just to check it out. Now i own one of almost everything Apple makes, except an iMac.

Sad to see this happening. I built all my Windows computers back in the day, from parts sold by a now defunct company called GoogleGear.

I wonder where it will end?
 
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Thunderhawks said:
Give it up.

iPone and Android phones will be it (As in market domination).
Yes, Nokia may have a foothold internationally, but people do not want umpteen operating systems.
Look at Zune and write things off asap.
Check with Blackberry what they accomplished with their latest products.
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Is Steve Ballmer still laughing ???
They tried to play with the big boys and they got burned, BAD !!
Windows "phone" is DEAD !
 
JeffyTheQuik said:
Competition is the lifeblood of innovation.
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Yeah but not in this situation. In those years that windows phone exists it has never ever shown anything that pushed Android or Apple to innovate faster. I had a 925 which was hardware-wise great but from a software point of view simply unbearable. I gave it back to my employer and opted to pay for a new phone myself that is at least enjoyable in use.
 
Kaibelf said:
It's a shame it came to this, but MS has never really been a hardware company and their efforts to truly make a phone platform were lukewarm when it mattered. This is all just one big missed opportunity.
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True, and with Apple basically giving their iOs and OSX away for free (while making up for that on the hardware side), MS is at a distinct disadvantage not having that option on the same scale Apple does.

I do however commend Nadella on a difficult decision and think (hope) they may finally be on the right track.
 
Greggles said:
The only place that I've ever seen a Windows phone (or tablet for that matter) is product placement on NCIS LA and other U.S. Cop shows!
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Pretty much. I've never seen anyone with one. Which is a shame too, because I think the interface is definitely more interesting than the archaic iOS one. Granted, I'm only familiar with it from using a Surface, but I would imagine it to be similar.
 
What a shame. Not just for the people who've lost their jobs, or for the ruining of Nokia (which could have been a great maker of Android phones), but because Windows Phone is a better user experience than Android, and deserved to do as well or better.

I must say I think this bodes badly for Microsoft, if it implies they're not concentrating so much on getting Windows phones out here, but it doesn't necessarily mean that - they can change their focus back to selling Windows to other phone makers.

They really need to be on mobile though - the desktop won't be around forever, let alone dominant (though I won't make any predictions regarding timescales, I'm not an idiot :p )
 
This man knows what he is doing. He is slowly cutting what he needs to and refocusing. Expect better things from Microsoft under this dude.

Shame about the people losing there job, hopefully they can get other positions in their company.
 
mikefla said:
No surprise here. Their mobile OS is junk just like their Win8/Win10 OS.

-Mike
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I agree both are horrible. I don't see the adoption of Win 10 being any greater than Win 8 even if they are giving it away free. It still has too many of the things from Win 8 that people don't like. They need to abandon their mobile OS and create a new one from scratch. The market has spoken and no one likes or wants their current mobile OS.
 
So basically in less than 15 months this acquisition has cost Microsoft close to $10 billion.

https://mobile.twitter.com/degusta/status/618803417880727553/photo/1

CJZubd5VEAEgkQL.png
 
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Microsoft needs to stick what they do best, making software. Their Xbox One division is doing okay, but still not matching the success of Sony's PS4. Microsoft had "smartphones" before Apple and Google and they just didn't know what they were doing. Good thing, let this Windows Phone nonsense go and get back to putting forth efforts on your software division.
 
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AppleInLVX said:
No kidding. Those poor people. It's the thing I hate most about working for "The Man". You're not even human anymore. You're a 'resource' and if the money isn't there, you can go starve in a ditch for all anyone at your company gives a rat's ass.
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Not to get into a political argument, but what would you do if you ran the company? Would you seriously keep paying these people after you shut down this area of the business and had nothing for them to do just to be nice?
 
Kaibelf said:
It's a shame it came to this, but MS has never really been a hardware company and their efforts to truly make a phone platform were lukewarm when it mattered. This is all just one big missed opportunity.
Click to expand...
It is a shame that there is not a viable third OS that can help increase the competition.
 
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