In a recent interview Bill Gates told Fox News that his preferred mobile device is one that uses Android. He did not mention which device he uses, but techies believe it might be the the Microsoft Edition Galaxy S8, which just happens to run Microsoft software out of the box. And that point is worth noting.
During the debut of the mobile era Microsoft had positioned itself, relatively late, as a competitor to both Android and iOS. However Microsoft’s phone never quite took off. What Microsoft does have, that Apple and Google do not, is a well known desktop software suite. The plan now is to push that software suite into the cloud so that any consumer can access Microsoft products regardless of the device they use.
Tech experts consider Gates’ Android admission to be less of a scandalous confession than it is a pivot into the next level of mobile warfare. The battle lines will not be about platforms, rather they will be user information and Apps. As such, Microsoft aims to be available on any platform, should the consumer want it.
In addition to Microsoft pivoting to a Team Android position, it is winning the hardware war against Apple. The Surface Pro, as well as other convertibles, laptops and ultrabooks, are far ahead of Apple’s iPad and MacBook Pro in terms of usability and practicality. Recent reveals have shown that Apple is no longer paying as much attention to MacBook and is struggling to redefine the iPad’s purpose. Microsoft’s Surface is filling the void. It is a highly adaptable hybrid of both and is leading the charge with users who are looking for a lightweight, adaptable device that is capable of general purpose use.
If the future is in the cloud, then Apple, Microsoft and Google need to worry less about their device’s whistles and more about what cloud-based services they can bring to users. With that in mind, all three tech companies are exploring connected speakers, home assistants, virtual reality and augmented reality. It is safe to say that the mobile platform battle has ceased, but that all players are gearing up for the cloud war.
