Does Microsoft need a turnaround expert?

Re:Does Microsoft need a turnaround expert? by 300bps on Thursday November 07, 2013 @07:55AM (#6689037)

I find there's quite the echo chamber of doom in certain circles about Microsoft. But this one takes the cake to ask the question "Does Microsoft need a turnaround expert?" while at the same time:

http://origin-www.livemint.com/Companies/tfliUBJb2Tjf3SapxQT...

Microsoft posts a 17% increase in quarterly profit to $5.2 billion; revenue rises 16% to $18.5 billion

The company made $5.2 billion profit in 3 months. Over 90% of computers are running their operating system. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_operating_system...). Their office productivity suite has over 95% of the market. Visual Studio, Azure, Xbox, all immensely popular. What exactly are people thinking they need to "turn around"?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Does Microsoft need a turnaround expert? by hack_37 on Thursday November 07, 2013 @08:53AM (#6689258)

They need a turn around because they feel it won't last and for good reasons. Market penetration in mobile phones is very low and some believe this is where the future is.

You don't start asking questions and changing strategies when everything is bad, otherwise you'll end up like Blackberry. The latter has no debt at all and $2 billion in the bank and everybody think they're dead. It won't be long till everybody thinks the same for Microsoft if they carry on like this.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Does Microsoft need a turnaround expert? by threeseed on Thursday November 07, 2013 @09:18AM (#6689398)

The fact that computing is trending towards mobile and Microsoft's actions in this space have been a disaster. So big deal if Microsoft is still making money. So was Blackberry the day the iPhone was announced. That doesn't mean that people shouldn't be asking serious questions about its long term viability.

As for the specific products you mentioned Visual Studio and Azure piggyback on the strength of the overall Windows ecosystem. If that suffers then everything suffers. And Xbox is facing a resurgent Sony in the next round of console wars.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Does Microsoft need a turnaround expert? by 300bps on Thursday November 07, 2013 @09:33AM (#6689485)

The fact that computing is trending towards mobile and Microsoft's actions in this space have been a disaster

Computing consumption is trending toward mobile. Computing production will always likely be on notebook/desktop computers.

Regarding Microsoft's mobile offering - they've almost doubled their market share in the last 3 months in most countries including in the U.S. In Italy, they are ahead of iPhone.

http://i0.wp.com/allthingsd.com/files/2013/11/Kantar_smartph...

Many people (such as myself) owned a string of iPhones, then got fed up with the stagnation and either moved to Android or Windows Phone.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Does Microsoft need a turnaround expert? by thedrbrian on Thursday November 07, 2013 @10:25AM (#6689783)

What's interesting is the sales only count till the end of September and thus miss most of the 5s sales and that kantar handle Microsoft's online ad sales.

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/11/05/apple-kantar-windows-...

[ Parent | on HN ]