Microsoft Shakeup in Entertainment Division Management

Microsoft, once the dominant giant in the technology industry, has more recently been forced to share the stage with a number of competitors. Apple and Google being major players on the field now, not just in technology and research but in the consumer market with devices like set top boxes, hand helds, and entertainment apps. Microsoft is quickly losing ground in this arena, and they are determined to change the course.

Recently it was announced that J. Allard, a major influence in the shaping of the X-Box, would be leaving the company on a rumored disagreement with Steven Ballmer over the cancellation of the Courier Tablet project. While questions remain, what is for certain is that Microsoft may be making some major changes in their executive management in the Entertainment and Devices division. This change would mean more than just replacing, but rather a full scale revamp to find their footing in a race that Microsoft has been steadily losing ground in.

The division is more than just the X-Box, but also includes the Zune and their mobile operation systems. This comes as  a relief for me because I’ve personally felt that Microsoft has always missed the mark on their efforts for mobile consumer devices. Whether it’s phones or the Zune, Microsoft seems so divided, with so many fragmented operation systems that lack consistency or the attention to detail that their competitors show. It will be interesting to see where Microsoft ends up after these changes.