Software Giant Microsoft is again in news and this time its for Microsoft Stores. With plans of opening stores in the coming 2-3 years, Microsoft has briefed that 75 such stores would come up in US. Kevin Turner, COO of Microsoft had made this announcement on the thirteenth of this month in the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference. In a similar conference in 2009, Turner had stated that Microsoft was planning to open their stores which would be quite close to Apple stores.
Microsoft stores would not sell only Windows PCs, which would still continue to be a priority, but these stores will sell even Windows phones. In addition, Microsoft has planned to sell their own peripherals, games, softwares, and much more. To boost its presence, Microsoft would even sell third party games, softwares, etc. Cities like New York and many others would await its arrival as the condition there for PC buyers is awful.
Microsoft used to sell its Windows Phone via Verizon stores and AT & T earlier only. These Microsoft stores would surely now boost the sales of Windows Phone. Its in fact the best time for Windows Phone future even as Microsoft has entered into a partnership with Nokia and Turner is hopeful that this partnership would help the incline of Windows Phone sales to around hundred million every year. However it looks a quite difficult uphill task. Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft had acknowledged everyone saying that the share of Windows Phone earlier has a share which was very small and now it has even further worsened.
Turner even elaborated on Microsoft priorities which started on July 1st, 2011, as it marked the beginning of the coming fiscal year. The list primed with cloud services on the top along with emphasizing on display and search advertising, Windows Phone revival, and to emphasize Windows device’s panoply which would be for creation as well as consumption purposes. The panoply would be enabled by on ARM Processors and Intel in Windows 8.
Microsoft reminded its partners that switching over to Office 2010, IE 9 and Windows 7 from Office 2003, IE 6 and Windows XP will help the Microsoft service users to move over to Office 15, IE 10 and Windows 8. it was more of an encouraging statement rather than just informative. This is because later on moving over to Office 15, IE 10 and Windows 8 from Office 2003, IE 6 and Windows XP would be quite difficult for the users.
Since 2009 it was just talks from Microsoft but this latest Conference clearly displayed Microsoft’s intentions to get the Microsoft Stores launched as soon as possible. For those who are not in US, have some good news too in store. Turner had quoted that Microsoft is even planning to open stores in places other than US. Here again its estimated that a maximum of 75 stores could come up.
Recently, Apple and Microsoft had joined hands to get the Nortel deal but this can be just another strategy they would have used to dethrone Google. This surely does not signify that Microsoft and Apple have come on terms to enter into any partnership. This looks to be just another example of their rivalry which looks to be live and kicking.
Turner yet again had reserved few lines and time to bash the competitors. This time he made comments at Apple, VMware, Oracle, Salesforce, Google and Siebel. It seems his one liners have improved, yet if then could be used for a constructive cause, it would be soothing to one’s ears.