Microsoft finally decided to give up MSN TV

Absrtact: Microsoft finally decided to give up MSN TV, this is at least Microsoft in the hardware field of the five defeats. Previously, they were Internet boxes, Internet TVs, tablets, smartphones, and Zune, a music player. July 8, Microsoft announced that the end of September will be completely closed

Microsoft finally decided to give up MSN TV, which is at least Microsoft's five-company failure in the hardware sector. Previously, they were Internet boxes, Internet TVs, tablets, smartphones, and Zune, a music player.

July 8, Microsoft announced that it will completely shut down the MSN TV service by the end of September. MSN TV is Microsoft's first outside the PC in the field of Intelligent terminal expansion, MSN TV was formerly known as the Web tv,1996 by Steve Perlman founded. In his early years at Apple, he developed QuickTime, founder of Cloud gaming company OnLive, founder of Rearden and ceo,1997, and Microsoft spent 503 million dollars on a web TV.

A WEB TV is a set of devices, including set-top boxes, keyboards, and remote controls, that connect televisions, provide TV services, and surf the internet, allowing users to use dial-up modems to access e-mail and the Internet. In 2001, Microsoft incorporated MSN Messenger and Hotmail services into it, and it was easily named MSN TV.

As for the reason for shutting down MSN TV, Microsoft officials say the Internet has developed at an alarming rate and has seen many new ways of accessing the Internet. So make a tough decision to turn off MSN TV on September 30.

Web TV is the first Internet box, until 2010, Google launched a similar product Google TV. Apple published a similar product in 2006. Behind the three big giants, Shanda, Millet, music has entered this field. Box prosperity proves that Web TV is a good idea, but the opportunity does not belong to Microsoft, belongs to others.

Microsoft's founder, Bill Gates, can always foresee many things, in addition to foreseeing that "every desk will have a PC", Microsoft also launched the world's first tablet Tablet PC, the world's first smartphone smart phone (in China has a Zhang-owned phoneplus), And Apple also launched a music player.

But, always for others to do wedding clothes, this is Microsoft in the Internet era of embarrassment. For this, the industry has an explanation is "computing equipment is the integration of humanities and technology products", Microsoft and Bill Gates only understand science and technology, do not understand the humanities. PC was originally used as a tool of production with Bill. Gates ' programmers match the temperament of Microsoft's engineer culture.

Tablet computers, smartphones in Microsoft are just a unadorned minimalist peasant, to the Apple has become a romantic hot girl. The engineer culture of Microsoft is always led by the industry leader into Apple and other companies as imitators. Microsoft never gave up the "humanities" aspects of the lessons, but has been missing the "humanities" temperament.

However, I think, never "stand at the crossroads of Science and technology and humanities" is not the root cause of Microsoft's repeated missed opportunity, the root cause is Microsoft's operating system dependence, the lack of internet genes, the former also known as PC complex.

Whether it's tablets, smartphones, music players, Internet TVs, or the first Web TV, Microsoft has hacked windows and implanted the devices separately. Microsoft hopes that Windows will enable the interconnection of devices and the sharing of content and services.

It sounds good, but consumers don't buy it. The reason for not buying is that personal consumer goods are pursuing the ultimate user experience and the most convenient service acquisition, and Microsoft, which suffers from operating system dependency, has never done so compared to rivals such as Apple and Google.

The Windows based eco-chain is this: Wintel provides the core operating system and chips, and independent software developers can be based on Windows development software after acquiring Microsoft certification. After the independent software developer develops the product, builds the brand, the channel, the marketing system, the consumer spends money to obtain the software and the service from each kind of channel.

Of course, Microsoft also provides core products and applications such as office, which are monopolized by Microsoft.

This pattern has changed in the internet age. Take Apple as an example, hardware, operating system, interconnection application and service platform provided by Apple, Third-party developers based on Apple development, no need for Brand, channel, marketing system construction, directly to the Apple software store, Apple also provides payment system, consumers access to services and applications anytime, anywhere.

In contrast, Microsoft's approach is PC-style, and Apple's approach is internet-style.

Bill Gates is the IT industry's most prescient person, he first foresaw in the field of computing equipment, personal consumption and import diversified era is coming, so only first layout of tablet computers, smartphones, music players, internet TV. Unfortunately, PC-style practices can not attract both developers and consumers.

In order to grab more entrances, Microsoft has put the treasure on a variety of devices, the first is tablets, smartphones, music players, internet TV, and just give up MSN TV. However, none of these products has been successful.

Remember the 2002 Microsoft Tablet Tablet PC launch, when Tang June, Microsoft's Chinese president, delivered a speech on the "Tablet PC's mobile revolution", passionate. The mobile internet was just a legend. 11 years on, the leader Microsoft has become the laggard in the mobile internet age.

With the "five defeats" in these areas, Microsoft is now betting on Xbox products, the Xbox being the most successful in computing device terminals. In the competition with Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft has gradually won, and now Microsoft CEO Ballmer, "the collection of thousands of pet" products. The message says the Xbox function is further expanded.

There is no doubt that the Xbox will replace MSN TV, the Venus program to support Microsoft's "living room strategy." In addition, Microsoft is about to release a major restructuring plan, Microsoft will be transformed into a equipment and services company, the Xbox will support this strategic transformation.

But the author's concern is that the Xbox is the same as the rest of the hardware, the eco-chain model, the underlying system based on Windows. Will this product of Windows operating system dependency be different from other devices in the end?