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Windows Live and Mobile Losing Money

We've gone on and on in this space about how Microsoft should focus on core technologies and let some of the fringe stuff that's making the company bloated and inefficient go. Well, Microsoft said this week that both Windows Live and Windows Mobile are unprofitable.

Yes, that's right. Unprofitable, as in not taking away from the bottom line. Now, Windows Live, as confusing as it is as a brand, seems pretty essential to Microsoft in the coming cloud computing fight against Google and others. But really, what is the point of Windows Mobile? Does Microsoft absolutely have to be in this space? Microsoft can still sell apps for mobile devices even if they don't run on Windows Mobile, right? Live might be do or die, but Mobile? We're not so sure.

Well, none of this talk really matters because Microsoft is very much pushing ahead with its Windows Mobile plans. The company says that there will be 30 Windows Mobile 6.5 devices out this year. Whether they'll help turn a profit for Microsoft is anybody's guess.

Posted by Lee Pender on September 24, 2009


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