We’ve written plenty of words on the future of Microsoft’s smartphone platform. Windows Phone is behind us, obviously, and being replaced by the mobile version of Microsoft’s newest OS, Windows 10 Mobile. All of the noise around Microsoft’s apparent pull-back from smartphones, including their very recent BOGO deal on the Lumia 950 and 950 XL, have caused many people to question Microsoft’s commitment to smartphones.
Just today, Windows Central managed to get their hands on an internal email from Microsoft’s Terry Myerson that seems to confirm the company’s commitment to Windows 10 Mobile. In the email, which was written to Microsoft execs and partners, Myerson said:
I understand that you are hearing concerns from certain partners about Microsoft’s commitment to the mobile space.
Let me be very clear: We are committed to deliver Windows 10 on mobile devices with small screen running ARM processors.
We are currently in development of our next generation products and I wanted to reconfirm our commitment to Windows 10 Mobile. We believe in this product’s value to business customers and it is our intention to support the Windows 10 Mobile platform for many years. We have a device roadmap to support that from Microsoft as well as our OEM partners who will also be selling an expanded lineup of phone devices based on this platform.
Now, this certainly seems to support an ongoing smartphone strategy, including the likelihood of a Surface Phone at some point in the future. At the same time, the wording is interesting, particularly the bit about Windows 10 Mobile’s “value to business customers.” There’s a theory that says Microsoft isn’t interested in consumer smartphones, and that Windows 10 Mobile will be more of an enterprise play. This statement really doesn’t do anything to refute that theory.
We’ll have to see what happens to Windows 10 Mobile and Microsoft’s smartphone strategy going forward. This email seems to reaffirm the company’s commitment to mobile, while at the same time providing little evidence for a consumer smartphone focus that would make Windows 10 Mobile directly competitive to iOS and Android. Let us know in the comments whether you think this statement is good or bad for Microsoft’s smartphone business.
