Microsoft is holding TechEd in New Zealand this week, and besides news of kill switches in the Windows Mobile Marketplace, another interesting titbit popped up.
According to Paul Spain who attended, Microsoft currently has a 1000 strong team working on bringing Windows Mobile 7 to market. We have heard earlier that the OS is Microsoft’s second priority after Windows 7 (which would put it ahead of its Server, Office, Database, Gaming and other businesses), which suggests talk of Microsoft not taking Mobile seriously do not have much basis in fact.
Paul goes on to note the constant stream of job ads we have seen are not just Microsoft’s form of PR. With 65 outstanding posts Microsoft has continued to work at expanding the group and bring more talent in, while at the same time trimming its workforce in other areas.
This all suggests, after years of neglect, Microsoft has had its Damascus moment, and like in the 1990’s when it became serious about the Internet, and 2000’s when it addressed security, we should be seeing a massive effort by Microsoft soon to dominate the market.
As their recent job posting said: “Yes – the competition is stiff; but it’s exceeded only by our desire to win.â€
Read more at GeekZone here.