Microsoft still rules the desktop roost, but in the increasingly critical mobile phone market, Redmond lags far behind the likes of Google and Apple. Thus, it may not come as too much of a surprise that Microsoft is planning to reorganize parts of its devices division this week, according to reports.
Moreover, the group's CEO and CTO J Allard is expected to leave the company, according to various sources, in response to Microsoft's decision to nix its much-anticipated Courier tablet computer. Perhaps Apple set the tablet bar too high with its iPad, forcing Microsoft to regroup?
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Microsoft's tablet woes don't end with Apple. First off, the company will also have to contend with a forthcoming tablet from Verizon and Google. Additionally, there's been speculation that HP is putting the kibosh on its Slate tablet running Windows 7 in favor of one running WebOS -- which HP acquired with its purchase of Palm.
It's still conceivable that HP will roll out both a Windows tablet and a WebOS tablet, but it's tough to imagine Windows 7 in general being able to hack it in the tablet form factor against lightweight platforms with likely superior touchscreen capabilities.
