Microsoft set to double down on Android with dedicated business unit
Microsoft is reportedly set to consolidate its Android efforts into a single division in a move that could pave the way for even tighter integration between Google’s mobile operating system and its own Windows platform.
Windows Central says Surface Duo OS, SwiftKey, Phone Link and several other Android teams will be moved into a dedicated organization called ‘Android Microsoft Platform and Experiences’, headed up by Chief Product Officer Panos Panay.
The changes were announced in a memo sent to employees earlier this week and no layoffs are expected.
Android and Windows
As recently as 2013, Microsoft hoped to be a major mobile platform holder in its own right with Windows Phone.
However, under the leadership of Satya Nadella, the company has looked to get its services on as many devices as possible, increasing subscription revenues.
Until now, Microsoft’s Android efforts had sat under the Microsoft Mobile Experiences (MMX) division banner which also includes iOS and iPadOS.
By creating a dedicated Android division, the suggestion is that Microsoft is doubling down on the platform and intends to create more interoperable experience akin to those between Apple’s mobile products and its Mac computers.
Microsoft recently rebranded the ‘Your Phone’ application as ‘Phone Link’, while Windows 11 has the ability to natively run some Android applications. Meanwhile, it has also expanded support for Phone Link to include Honor devices, complementing existing partnerships with Surface Duo and Samsung.
Microsoft has been contacted by TechRadar Pro for comment.
Via Windows Central
