Ballmer champions the Windows strategy on all devices and on all systems

Steve Ballmer has participated these days in a symposium organized by the consulting firm Gartner and has taken advantage of his minutes on stage to answer some questions and explain a little more what underlies the idea he defends ofone Windows across multiple screens and devices According to the still CEO of Microsoft, consumers demand an integrated system, which means attending to both the hardware they make and the software they develop.

It is precisely on the latter that the greatest effort should fall: on the user interface, the tools for developers and a common platform for Windows that works in a very diverse world of devices and systems.Ballmer assured that we will soon see progress in this regard, since the unique experience will arrive sooner rather than later, although he did not indicate any date.

Applications on all systems: Office on iPad

"The strategy not only involves having a unified system for computers, tablets, mobiles or televisions; It also means having a good part of Microsoft applications on competing systems. As Ballmer explains, Microsoft needs to build a single operating system as well as a single environment based on what the device knows about you."

Consequence of this is the announcement made by Ballmer that a tactile Office will arrive at some point on the iPad Of course, always after be available on its own system: Windows 8. For now Word and Office are optimized to be used with keyboard and mouse, but a touch interface for Office is currently being developed.

Ballmer also said they plan to port other essential services to the iPad. Lync and OneNote are already available for Apple's tablet, and while Outlook might make sense, Ballmer finds it hard to believe that the folks in Cupertino would let them make it available without putting up a handicap.

Windows on all types of hardware

The software and user interface is critical to the integration of the Windows universe. We have already seen how there is a significant number of people focused on it and the company has its own design guide for all systems and applications. But Hardware is also hardware and at Microsoft they don't forget about it.

"Ballmer assured that the relationship with OEMs has changed in the last year, and Microsoft has spent a lot of time talking with its partners about the need to move towards integration. In Ballmer&39;s words, we see a world with Windows that is heterogeneous and things are much easier if we move forward with integration>"

With the purchase of Nokia, the Redmonds have gained a lot of experience in the manufacture of mobile devices. Together with the experience with Surface, this means that the company has the capacity to manufacture both tablets and mobile phones of its own. The obligatory question is whether they will climb the next step, which would be to interfere in the manufacture of their own PCs.

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Regarding this last issue, Ballmer avoided commenting on the possibility of buying a computer manufacturer The Microsoft CEO joked that his company was already working on a Windows 8 PC with an 82-inch screen, which looks great on a wall, but isn&39;t very portable>"

Competition on all fronts

Asked about his greatest competition, Ballmer did not want to point to any in particular, explaining that the moment they focus on one, a new one arises where they did not expect.Examples are Apple and Samsung, companies that today make more profit than any other and whose situation Ballmer himself would never have imagined five years ago.

Microsoft has to be everywhere because that's what consumers demand and so do its main rivals who are trying to compete in the same areas. The advantage of Microsoft is that, until now, they have had ">

Via | ZDNet In Genbeta | Office will come to iPad after the launch of the touch version in Windows