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You can pretend otherwise, but I can’t do that disservice to the community. I can only be realistic. And realistically, things have gone from bad to worse.

https://www.thurrott.com/mobile/windows ... witterfeed

Even thought Microsoft got blindsided by the iPhone I aways thought they would get their act together in mobile. It now seems that they have thrown in the towel. iOS appears to be the Enterprise and high end darling. Android stole away the bulk of the remaining smartphone buying public.

A different opinion:
http://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft ... -necessary

End User wrote:

iOS appears to be the Enterprise and high end darling. Android stole away the bulk of the remaining smartphone buying public.

Speaking solely to the day job, the closed ecosystem of iOS makes remote management of BYOD policies so much easier than dealing with the fractious nature of Android and most of the people who want BYOD in the institutions I regulate are already paying the Jobs tax.

Flying Fox wrote:

A different opinion:
http://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft ... -necessary

Listening to Windows Weekly this morning the point was made that this announcement falls within Microsofts year end window. @DrPizza replied that it did not have to be this year end. Microsofts timing was very poor. Right now the only thing they should be talking about is Windows 10. They should be hyping it like crazy - a banner on the CN Tower kinda hype - hype for one OS for phone/tablet/laptop/desktop - hype for one app for all devices - hype for Cortana - hype for Groove Music - hype for Surface - hype for Windows 10 mobile

For Microsoft to announce massive cuts and a vague product plan just before the new vision is released is just very strange.

End User wrote:

Listening to Windows Weekly this morning the point was made that this announcement falls within Microsofts year end window. @DrPizza replied that it did not have to be this year end. Microsofts timing was very poor. Right now the only thing they should be talking about is Windows 10. They should be hyping it like crazy - a banner on the CN Tower kinda hype - hype for one OS for phone/tablet/laptop/desktop - hype for one app for all devices - hype for Cortana - hype for Groove Music - hype for Surface - hype for Windows 10 mobile

For Microsoft to announce massive cuts and a vague product plan just before the new vision is released is just very strange.

It is a bit strange. The AOL and Uber deals were announced before June 30, meaning it can fall under their fiscal year 2015. This one is larger and the charges won't be completely off the books until some time next calendar year, meaning fiscal year 2016. For layoffs though, there is really no good timing for this, may be Satya felt that to just rip the bandaid as soon as possible. Then they go in full hype mode. We still have about 3 weeks before 7/29, and the biggest hype should probably come in August for back-to-school. So may as well get that over with?

Another timing consideration is the Worldwide Partner Conference, which is also this month. I don't see the product plan as vague. I agree with Windows Central's assessment that it is now more clear: less number of confusing models, "demo" models to bring back the OEMs (remains to be seen if they are willing to come back), and truly going back to being "software and services" rather than "devices and services", Ballmer's last ditch effort to imitate Apple.

This is now finally Satya putting his stamp on the company instead of following Ballmer's strategy that was already laid before him leaving.

I could feel this coming. There hasn't been a flagship Nokia device in a little while. I held off on upgrading my iPhone because I would likely have jumped to new flagship, but there isn't anything on the radar, so the 6+ was the only logical choice.

My first reaction to this was they would leave it up to the other manufacturers to fill in the gaps. Nokia did have a ton of phones and that had to be costly.

That said it definitely is sending a strange message. Microsoft certainly has enough money to hold of scaling back for another year or two.

Microsoft is a shining example that having nearly endless amounts of cash and talent gets you nowhere without competent leadership and direction.