"A Serious Number", Says Gates

[Andy Sjostrom]

http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Jul/07252003/business/78313.asp

Bill Gates talked about Microsoft's $6.9 billion dollar R&D budget at the financial analysts conference, saying it is "a serious number". Indeed. According to the Associated Press article, Microsoft plans to add 5,000 positions "as part of its plan to spread its software to wireless phones, video-game consoles and other devices". The article mentions improvements to Xbox and a new version of Microsoft's operating software for handheld devices. A financial analysts conference is no place to joke around about big numbers. Bill is serious, not only about $6.9 billion dollar, but about seriously increasing punch behind mobile device software development. The market is slowly heating up and it will be interesting to see who will raise the bets...

[Andy Sjostrom]

http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Jul/07252003/business/78313.asp

Bill Gates talked about Microsoft's $6.9 billion dollar R&D budget at the financial analysts conference, saying it is "a serious number". Indeed. According to the Associated Press article, Microsoft plans to add 5,000 positions "as part of its plan to spread its software to wireless phones, video-game consoles and other devices". The article mentions improvements to Xbox and a new version of Microsoft's operating software for handheld devices. A financial analysts conference is no place to joke around about big numbers. Bill is serious, not only about $6.9 billion dollar, but about seriously increasing punch behind mobile device software development. The market is slowly heating up and it will be interesting to see who will raise the bets...

[mkrisher]

Wow, 5,000 jobs is nice. Do you think it is safe to assume that more of those than not will be for the mobile business unit rather than the other menioned units such as XBox?

If that is the case, I think they should hire people who have experience with the platforms, such as people that post on related Web forums.