Beneath a Surface

by Brad Sams

For corporations, it was a conversation piece and showcased that they were “forward thinkers” as they were early adopters of new technology.

Microsoft also had to consider its PC maker partners. The company had for decades depended on third-party companies to build the hardware

So Microsoft needed a device that would work well for both scenarios, with touch, and with traditional PC input types.

Every organization within Microsoft was indeed fighting for themselves at that time and not working with other organizations.

he undermined his ability to accomplish what needed to be done by making too many enemies with others inside Microsoft.

Microsoft and Sinofsky had been working on these technologies for a couple of years before the iPad

Microsoft knew that journalists frequently browsed through the company’s trademark applications and that by using a brand name it already owned, it could easily maintain the secrecy around the development of the brand. Less paperwork, fewer places for its plans to leak out. Surface was the perfect name.

including Surface for Windows RT, Surface with Windows RT, and Microsoft Surface for RT. Surface Pro went through similar iterations like Surface for Windows 8 Pro and Microsoft Surface for Windows 8 Pro.

The teams put in an immense amount of time and effort to make the announcement run as smoothly as possible.

off the geotagging and industry observers saw that he was in a part of the world that was known for producing laptops and smartphones.

Looking back, this was one of the best-kept secrets in Microsoft’s recent history, and it set a high watermark for keeping upcoming products out of the public’s eye until they were ready to be shown off.

and Sinofsky’s disdain for the Windows Phone group, led

Ballmer wanted to explain that his company had been making hardware devices for decades. And that’s exactly what he did.

Sinofsky was not thrilled with his performance.

But it was even more important to Windows RT because the Windows Store was the only way you could install applications on that system.

the first Windows version that was incompatible with Windows applications.

And as we all know now, just because you build it, doesn’t mean people will show up.

The OS was trying to move in a bold new direction but failed on execution and user education.

It was clear that Windows 8 was as hostile to its own users as Sinofsky was to the rest of Microsoft.

Windows RT looked exactly like Windows 8 but it was severely limited in its functionality; consumers were confused.

million Windows RT tablets and had about 3 million sitting in warehouses. It also had piles of accessories that were not selling either.

For Microsoft, the write-down did more damage to the company’s image than the actual fiscal correction.

“We hoped that by digging deeper, we could get out of the hole.”

brand. But the reality was that Microsoft’s corporate leadership didn’t want the second generation Surface to sink the mothership if it went down in flames like the first generation.

The company does not include the Touch/Type Covers in the box and this has proven to be a lucrative decision for the bottom line.

With tablets becoming more popular, the league sketched up a new sponsorship opportunity and approached Microsoft about the idea. This started a long series of negotiations internally and with the league.

Building software that would actually add value to coaches and players on the NFL sidelines is not a trivial task.

Sinofsky had been fighting for more control and had created walls inside the company that was fracturing its ability to compete cohesively.

Ultimately, most agree that Sinofsky’s departure came down to internal politics.

Microsoft was failing to collaborate internally and Sinofsky was seen as the reason this was happening.

He had a finicky relationship with Wall Street, and Microsoft’s share price typically wallowed in the $25 to $35 range during his entire tenure.