Microsoft has a plan. Or two.
by Volker Weber
Microsoft wants its Lumia 950XL to win. If you buy one you get your dock for free. It lets you connect a screen, keyboard, mouse and other peripherals to your phone, effectively turning it into a PC with a big desktop. There is only one problem: the only software that runs on this screen has to be purposefully written to not only support the Continuum feature that renders a PC app touch friendly, but it also has to be provided for Windows 10 Mobile and its ARM architecture. Microsoft Office Mobile is a software written to these specs.
Now there is another problem: while you may run this software for free on your shiny new 950XL, you need an Office 365 subscription to run in on your 950XL when it pretends to be a PC, starting next year on April 1st.
Looks like the office guys just threw a big rock on the drowning mobile business.
Comments
Seriously, I do not get, why Microsoft not only shoots itself in the foot, but keeps reloading and firing all the time. Decisions like this one or the recent OneDrive debacle are on such a high absurdity level, that I really begin doubting Nadella. I understand, that to him O365 is the coming cow to milk, but still I am convinced that these decisions hurt a lot more than they help selling O365 abos.
Microsoft giveth, Microsoft taketh. What is yours today, may not be yours tomorrow.
Isn't the 950XL an accesoire for the business user with O365 subscription anyway?
If that is the case why bother?
