Microsoft, which has been focusing on smartphone business, is predicted to bank on cloud-based services in the future, according to Business Insider.
According to the news report, Microsoft, which rolled out its Window 10 Mobile in February, may not launch its new flagship smartphone Surface Phone by 2017, which has long been rumored.
Although the tech giant is currently focusing on both hardware and software business, it rarely mentioned its smartphone business at its annual Build conference held in March. Instead, it steered the conference toward its cloud-based products and services, Business Insider said. The services enable users to access Microsoft's products on any mobile devices or platforms based on clouding.
The news also reported that the latest move to push for cloud-based services gives a hint for Microsoft’s future business strategy. It no longer needs to use hardware or platforms to disrupt the mobile world because its cloud-based service connects both hardware and software and also helps companies to lead the mobile market in a different way.
Microsoft is already enabling its users on iOS, Android and Lixus to access its cloud service, which makes the tech giant have a competitive edge in the market.
The company may not entirely do away with its hardware business in the short term and it is still making an investment in the mobile devices.
However, amid the slowdown of the global smartphone market, it seems smart for the company to slowly move away from mobile hardware. The news report predicted that 2015 will be the last year to see the double-digit growth in the global smartphone market.
