The Facetious CIO

Why Isn't Microsoft's Strategy Working Anymore?

I think one of the points you were trying to make was the agnostic access to applications in the cloud. MSFT used to have near monopoly on the business interface with their windows OS, outlook, and office package. This recurring revenue model got them to where they are today and has kept them going even in the more recent "lean" years. MSFT's biggest threat is not google or yahoo. It's not even force.com or Amazon. It's smart phones. These devices are quickly becoming the OS of choice for reaching the Internet for individuals and as we've seen over and over this trend will follow into the business world. Most businesses have already adopted some sort of smart phone policy and SaaS applications. It won't be long before businesses will dump desktops and laptops (running windows OS) for these mobile devices. Add a keyboard (bluetooth) and a monitor and that little phone can replace your desktop easily. An investment in Windows 7 and a new version of Outlook may just push organizations down that route.