The challenges of the future CEO of Microsoft

The announced departure of Steve Ballmer in the coming year is an admission of failure for Microsoft, which is struggling to gain a foothold in markets in recent years. Two of the pillars of the company are divisions Windows and company - Office-, which account for half of its revenue. Both should review in depth their products in a market which is more centered on the PC, where the company dominates, but on smartphone and tablet.

The major offensive launched in October 2012, with Windows 8 for PCs and Tablet and Windows Phone 8 on smartphones, did not the desired effect. The "unified" system should sign the relaunch of the PC market and the arrival of the Group on the two new fields, with the production - for the first time - stamped tablets Microsoft. Las, the price of new PC and shelves overall discouraged buyers, and Windows Phone 8 does not have sufficient applications or features quite unique to divert them from smartphones using Google's Android or iOS from Apple.

A DIFFICULT PROFESSIONAL MARKET

The new office system, to support a wide range of tablets, had to go out in two editions in the software bit compatible (Windows 8 and Windows RT), creating confusion among buyers. The decline in price of the Tablet Surface RT dug the profits of 900 million dollars in the fiscal quarter ending in March. These products have also helped dispose of historical partners, manufacturers, who consider range Surface like a unnecessary competition for a system that doesn't sell globally. Shareholders have complained, in mid-August, accusing the company of lying about the situation of these new products.

The picture is no more encouraging for the market of enterprises, including a large share use yet Windows XP, released in 2001 and whose support ends in 2014. The (...)

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