It’s been fairly a bizarre week for Microsoft, which is now on the brink of kick off a particular media occasion in New York Metropolis. Earlier this week, Chief Product Officer Panos Panay introduced that he was leaving the corporate, and the exec is reportedly headed to Amazon the place he’ll substitute Dave Limp as the pinnacle of the corporate’s {hardware} workforce. Moreover, Microsoft noticed its Xbox product roadmap leak this week, together with refreshed Xbox Collection X|S consoles that will launch subsequent yr.
Right this moment, Enterprise Insider is reporting that Panos Panay’s departure from Microsoft might have been a consequence of Microsoft chopping its investments in Floor {hardware}, with a development that isn’t assembly the corporate’s monetary expectations. Whereas Panos Panay managed to make Floor a billion-dollar enterprise over time, there have been some flops alongside the best way, the Floor Duo line being the newest instance.
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“The departure appeared abrupt, however insiders who’ve labored carefully with Panay stated he was sad with latest adjustments within the Home windows + Gadgets division he ran and had lengthy been rumored to be contemplating a transfer to Amazon,” Enterprise Insider reported. The report additionally describes Panay as a “well-liked” however “demanding” chief, and the announcement of his departure was reportedly “a shock” to some staff.
The report additionally says that Microsoft has made “vital cuts” to its Floor enterprise and canceled upcoming merchandise corresponding to new Floor headphones. “The plan is to focus extra on Microsoft’s hits relatively than the extra experimental gadgets the corporate funded in flush instances,” sources advised Enterprise Insider.
A separate report from Home windows Central’s Zac Bowden confirms that Microsoft has decreased its investments in additional area of interest Floor {hardware}. Bowden says that Microsoft has canceled new variations of its Floor Studio all-in-one PC, Floor Duo, and the education-focused Floor Laptop computer SE. “An 11-inch Floor Professional was additionally being thought of at one level, however has now additionally been scrapped in favor of the Floor Go 4 with an Intel N200 chip,” Bowden additionally wrote.
In the end, a extra centered Floor workforce that’s not distracted by much less widespread kind elements might result in higher merchandise. Floor gadgets often obtain reward for his or her design, however they usually ship with outdated specs regardless of a premium positioning. Identical to Apple, Microsoft can also be fairly sluggish to iterate.
The corporate is predicted to announce a few new Floor merchandise later right now together with the Floor Laptop computer Studio 2, the Floor Laptop computer Go 3, and the Floor Go 4. Sadly, it looks like new Floor Professional and Floor Laptop computer fashions should wait.
