What does Satya Nadella shakeup of Microsoft mean for Surface?

[Kif]

Everyone has probably already seen Satya Nadella memo about a shakeup at Microsoft. I'm wondering what this will mean for the Surface product line. The Surface Pro 3 is the first thing Microsoft has released in about 10 years that I'm actually really excited about. He references the Surface Pro 3 several times but his comments are so vague I'm not sure what's he saying about it (if anything at all). What do people here think about this development?

Here's a couple links from The Verge:
http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/10/5887143/satya-nadella-microsoft-ceo-employee-email
http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/10/5...softs-ceo-why-apple-and-google-havent-won-yet

 

[jnjroach]

Microsoft is my best customer and I've spent much of my time working in their Partner Channel directly interacting with CVPs, GMs , etc.. , and from the top down they view the Surface line as their best Showcase on what Windows is at its best, I don't think we need to worry as much of what he says from the engineering perspective is exactly how Julie Larson Green (now replaced by Elop) and Panos Panay have built the Surface Business Group (BG) and Product Group (PG).

 

[CrippsCorner]

Well, I read that he stated that he doesn't want Microsoft to be seen as a 'devices & services' company any longer... that to me, doesn't sound too great for the Surface line but only time will tell I guess.

 

[jnjroach]

It has more about replacing "Ballmer Speak" with "Nadella Speak", he speaks directly of Xbox, Windows Phone, Nokia Merger and devices....

I think we're going to be fine, remember he came from the Server and Tools Business (Azure, Server, SQL, Visual Studio, etc.) But he needs MS to have good phones and devices to showcase MS Productivity Portfolio.... he even goes as far to talk about Cortana and her future...

 

[malberttoo]

But he needs MS to have good phones and devices to showcase MS Productivity Portfolio....

I sincerely hope that Surface continues to be important for MS! I remember my (ultimately) big disappointment with the Slate 500, and then reading somewhere that that device was one of the things that caused MS produced the Surface- so that they could have their own hardware platform to show off what their software could do. It struck me as slightly impressive that they went that far, and I just really hope that they keep developing the Surface platform.

I liked my Surface Pro, but I love my SP3!

 

[MDS]

My guess is his announcement will not impact the Surface line, at least in the near term. I'd think Microsoft has to continue to find reasons for people to stay with their operating system at the personal PC and mobile device level. They have to stop the migration to Apple and Android. If other companies don't produce good devices that use the Microsoft's operating system - that's a problem. Which is the reason Microsoft produced Surface in the first place. They will probably do the same thing in wearable devices if that market segment ever looks like it will take off.

I'm sure Microsoft remembers the rewards they received when they produced an operating system that could run on other companies great devices. Apple took a different route and became proprietary which we all hated. Thank goodness for MS Dos/Windows that could run on HP, Dell, Compact, IBM, Asus - the list goes on.

 

[Nuspieds]

Although anything is possible, I, too, do not see the demise of the Surface product line whatsoever; they've got a great thing going with this device and what it showcases and represents for the Modern UI, so I am definitely optimistic about its future.

 

[Kif]

I think Satya is a pretty likable guy but I hope he doesn't make Microsoft do another 360. Part of MS problems is that they keep switching directions and don't ever fully realize any single vision. In this day and age there's a big advantage developing software and hardware together. The hardware guys can go to the software guys and say I need it to do this and vise-versa. Apple and Google both do it. So even if the Surface line doesn't because a big money maker it can still make Microsoft a better software company.

 

[goodintentions]

I think Satya is a pretty likable guy but I hope he doesn't make Microsoft do another 360. Part of MS problems is that they keep switching directions and don't ever fully realize any single vision. In this day and age there's a big advantage developing software and hardware together. The hardware guys can go to the software guys and say I need it to do this and vise-versa. Apple and Google both do it. So even if the Surface line doesn't because a big money maker it can still make Microsoft a better software company.

Any chance MS will kill off the windows app store? I know a few nut cases who hate 8 so much that they demand the winstore to be killed off and we permanently switch back to 7. Hope satya isn't one of these nut cases.

 

[jnjroach]

No they won't kill off the App Store. WinRT needs to succeed as the Legacy Win32 Code Base is the culprit that is holding Windows in the 90s.

But because Windows Based Touch Devices are still in the minority they need to make WinRT Apps more palatable to the Desktop/Laptop is for real work crowd, so that is why we'll see Windowed WinRT Apps in Threshold, all of sudden on High DPI Screens they will see these beautiful, crisp and useful Apps next to the fuzzy, menu driven (or tab) applications that take up tons of space using chrome around the application....