Rumours of a reorganisation exercise at the Redmond giant have been rife for weeks, and sources have told ZDNet the Windows and Windows Phone teams may be more closely aligned in a new 'devices' division.
The idea is, any restructuring not yet confirmed by Microsoft would better reflect the aims and organisation within the respective teams, enabling Windows 8 and Windows Phone to be more closely bound in the eyes of the consumer.
D-day
Talk of the restructuring follows on from CEO Steve Ballmer's claim at the end of 2012 that Microsoft was now a "device and services company", rather than one merely focused on stand alone software.
The ad itself talks about delivering one Windows experience "on every device, for everything in your life", and showcases Office, Bing, Internet Explorer and Xbox Live across Windows 8, Surface and Windows Phone.
The ad also features the recently announced Halo: Spartan Assault.
According to Microsoft, it's the first time Windows 8, Surface and Windows Phone have been brought together in one campaign.
"With this spot, the company is moving away from how it traditionally talks about individual products to showcase how its services light up across the multiple devices that people use," a spokesperson said of the ad.
One for all?
The roll out of the spot in the US, however, comes as Microsoft's other 'one' vision Xbox One is being roundly criticised by the gaming press.
The industry has reacted to Microsoft move to impose 24 hour online checks, stringent DRM and used game restrictions on consumers as part of its move to provide an entertainment hub for the living room.
Critics now expect Sony's PlayStation 4 which, itself, boasts strong links to the portable gaming sector in the form of PS Vita to outsell Microsoft's console at launch, with the former retailing for $399 to the Xbox One's $499 RRP.
Closer ties between Microsoft's latest home console and its PC, tablet and smartphone platforms, however, means that the retail performance (or lack of) of one of the three legs could directly impact the other two.
Meanwhile, Microsoft is also gearing up for the roll out of the first major update to Windows 8 - better known as Windows 8.1 - on 26 June, with changes focusing on greater personalisation options for the Metro-based Start screen.
[source: ZDNet]
