LogInThis is the third time Microsoft's CEO has admitted that quitting the mobile business was a mistake.
Image credit: Kazick, Shutterstock
In a recent interview conducted by Business Insider, Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, expressed regret over Microsoft's decision to exit the mobile device market, considering it one of the key mistakes made under his leadership. According to Nadella, the company could have explored alternatives to avoid abandoning this sector.
"The decision I think a lot of people talk about – and one of the most difficult decisions I made when I became CEO —was our exit of what I'll call the mobile phone as defined then. In retrospect, I think there could have been ways we could have made it work by perhaps reinventing the category of computing between PCs, tablets, and phones," shared Nadella when asked about strategic mistakes made by him.
Microsoft's mobile mistakes have now been acknowledged by three CEOs, including current CEO Satya Nadella. Former CEO Bill Gates admitted that Microsoft losing to Android was his "greatest mistake ever." Meanwhile, former CEO Steve Ballmer regretted not focusing on phones earlier, as he was slow to respond to the threat of Android and iPhone. Ballmer acknowledged that the company's focus on Windows Vista hindered their ability to redeploy talent to the evolving phone market.
Since 2000, Microsoft has been involved in the development of its own mobile operating system. Initially known as Windows Mobile, it underwent a rebranding as Windows Phone. This OS was used in the production of Nokia smartphones by the company. However, according to market data provided by analytics firm IDC, Windows Phone-based devices achieved a maximum market share of just 3.4% in 2013. Throughout its existence, this operating system has consistently lagged behind iOS and Android in terms of performance and popularity. Consequently, Microsoft made the decision to discontinue further development in this direction.
Some more news on Microsoft, yesterday we reported that CEO Satya Nadella's annual compensation now only relied on overall numbers for the Xbox gaming division, with Xbox Game Pass growth no longer being a factor in the calculation.
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