Build At its Build 2017 developer conference in Seattle, US, on Wednesday, Microsoft turned its attention to Windows and cozied up to competitors.
The day before, CEO Satya Nadella said Microsoft now sees its business in the context of edge devices and cloud services, informed by artificial intelligence algorithms.
Terry Myerson, executive vice president of the Windows and Devices Group, made clear that Microsoft hasn’t forgotten about Windows. He presented a preview of the Windows Fall Creators Update, which will arrive – spoiler alert – this fall, at some point.
In a press briefing, Microsoft communications chief Frank Shaw insisted day two should be seen as a continuation of day one, as if none of Microsoft’s offerings were more important than others.
But it’s hard to see Azure as anything other than the favored child with Microsoft’s repositioning of Windows as one platform among many. Of course, Windows and Office must be tended and milked for cash, but they don’t promise to grow at the same rate as Microsoft’s Azure and cloud-related businesses.