Microsoft makes stunning Android move to challenge Apple

Microsoft’s recent reorganisation has consolidated multiple Android-related initiatives under a single division. While Microsoft’s focus on mobile has led to the creation of a number of mobile initiatives, consolidating everything under one roof demonstrates the company’s commitment to the larger market.

“Microsoft is rearranging many key teams and departments,” Zac Bowden reports on the restructure. The business is relocating its Surface Duo OS, SwiftKey, Phone Link, Microsoft Launcher, and several other apps, as CEO Panos Panay said in a letter earlier this week. “Android Microsoft Platform and Experience” (AMPX) is a new dedicated Android organisation that brings together Android teams.

The software side of Microsoft’s Android forays demonstrates a concentration on Android’s core components. You have SwiftKey for text input, the Microsoft Launcher to wrap around apps and experiences, and Microsoft Outlook to handle email and calendar dates; Microsoft Office takes care of productivity, OneDrive takes care of file synchronisation and cloud support, and Microsoft continues to promote Teams as a collaborative space.

Even though Microsoft did not “win” the mobile operating system war (Windows Phone was simply too late to the party, and without the unqualified support of app developers, smart design was insufficient), its software moves – particularly in Android, but also in the limited playground Apple provides third-party developers – have given it a foothold in the space.