Eric Schmidt On Microsoft Surface: “It means a lot if the product works,”

In an interview in New York with the WSJ’s Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt commented about the upcoming Microsoft Surface. When asked about this thoughts on Microsoft making PC  hardware for the first time, he said the following.

Mossberg: In a few weeks we’ll see something historic. Microsoft will have built its first computer, with Surface. Running a Microsoft OS. That’s a huge change for them, because they were always licensing operating systems to other people. What does this mean?

Schmidt: “It means a lot if the product works.”

Mossberg: Let’s say it does.

Schmidt: “My answer stands.” Microsoft built a structural monopoly around Windows. “Produced enormous value, and a series of antitrust cases, which they lost.” So is that the right model to solve problems? I would argue that we’ve evolved to a new model, like with Android. “We’re going to see an explosion of integrated hardware/software solutions.”

Mossberg: Can some other company make a truly integrated device that’s comparable to what Apple does and Microsoft is trying to do?

Schmidt: Google is doing that with Chromebooks.

When asked about Microsoft, he said the following.

Mossberg: Why did you keep Microsoft out of the Gang of Four?

Schmidt: They’re a well-run company, but they haven’t been able to bring state-of-the-art products into the fields we’re talking about yet.

Once the pricing of Surface PCs are revealed by Microsoft, we will certainly know the result. What do you think?

Source: All Things D