Loading ...Microsoft in clouds?
On his recent visit to India, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said something uncanny. On being asked when Windows 8 would be launched, Ballmer said, “I would not like to comment on it. Whenever I do, I get in trouble with my own people. I would only say that when we come up with something interesting, you would be the first one to know.”
Earlier in Tokyo, Ballmer spoke about the next version of Windows and said one would hear a lot about Windows 8, Windows 8 slates, tablets, PCs in 2012. However, Microsoft’s own press office retracted the announcement, calling it a misstatement. “It appears there was a misstatement. We are eagerly awaiting the next generation of Windows 7 hardware that will be available in the coming fiscal year. To date, we have yet to formally announce any timing or naming for the next version of Windows,” the PR said.
Ballmer last visited India 28 years ago when he was still climbing the hierarchical ladder in the company. Things have changed in 2011 when he finds himself at the helm of affairs of a company where growth has stagnated and there are calls for his removal. While sales in the US and Latin America have moderated, Europe is no more an attractive market. Asia could spell a growth revival for Microsoft and a visit to Tokyo and Delhi, especially for a session on cloud computing, underscores the importance.
Talking about Microsoft Cloud in Delhi, Ballmer said, “The concept starts from a fundamental understanding that technology needs to get simpler and more human over the next four or five years. The first element is developing natural human interfaces which recognize basic human characteristics like voice and touch. The evolution of technology is such that it should be working the way people work.”
Elaborating on the changes needed he said, “Touch technology has not replaced keyboards but it has undoubtedly added a new dimension to computing. Cloud computing represents the technology which understands you, your intent and acts accordingly.”
On Microsoft’s own initiative Ballmer said Office 365 Cloud Service will include Lync, a service which he believes would help employers, employees, trading partners and consumers to understand each other better. It would make business seamless and easy, he added.
While he tried to highlight the importance of Indian market and the partnership with Nokia as an important aspect, Ballmer failed to elaborate on what role India as a country can play for Microsoft in terms of business.
“The key to life in terms of technology is to look forward, before anybody else beats you to it. You have to think what is better, what you want, what your customers want,” Ballmer said. A veteran in the IT space, Ballmer understands the need for innovation like no one else does. While the Delhi visit was more of a symbolism, the bigger question for Ballmer is to keep Microsoft relevant and a step ahead of its competitors like Apple and Google.
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