MS's strategy in my opinion mostly hinges on 3 points:
1) Enterprise Integration
2) Skype integration
3) Senseless (A communications network that runs on whitespace)
If MS integrates well into the enterprise it becomes the natural phone for enterprise developers (eg. the people who already know C#)
With Skype integration MS has an excellent platform to bring Skype to the enterprise and start cutting desktop phone costs. I know we'd all bemoan a 'managed' skype solution but corporate america would love it, and they trust the MS brand.
The third prong is the final nail in the coffin, if MS can deliver senseless and make the carrier's irrelevant then some massive innovation can take place in the space and MS will be the natural leader having both the spectrum and the handset, the only real question is whether they make a boatload of money by offering competitive pricing, or they use cut throat pricing to take the whole market. Knowing MS's embrace, extend, extinguish strategy my money would be on the latter, especially now that they are free from DOJ oversight.
1) Enterprise Integration
2) Skype integration
3) Senseless (A communications network that runs on whitespace)
If MS integrates well into the enterprise it becomes the natural phone for enterprise developers (eg. the people who already know C#)
With Skype integration MS has an excellent platform to bring Skype to the enterprise and start cutting desktop phone costs. I know we'd all bemoan a 'managed' skype solution but corporate america would love it, and they trust the MS brand.
The third prong is the final nail in the coffin, if MS can deliver senseless and make the carrier's irrelevant then some massive innovation can take place in the space and MS will be the natural leader having both the spectrum and the handset, the only real question is whether they make a boatload of money by offering competitive pricing, or they use cut throat pricing to take the whole market. Knowing MS's embrace, extend, extinguish strategy my money would be on the latter, especially now that they are free from DOJ oversight.