Windows and Office: Will the Marriage Soon Be Over?
Can Office become the productivity suite of choice for every computing platform? We may soon find out, Fool contributor Tim Beyers says in the following video.
According to Bloomberg, Microsoft CEO candidate Stephen Elop would consider decoupling Office from Windows, breaking a long-standing tradition in which the richest and most functional version of its productivity apps exists on Mr. Softy's own operating system.
Elop would instead seek to bring high-grade versions of Office to other operating environments, including those distributed and supported by Apple and Google, among others. A logical choice when you consider that Microsoft's Business Division, which shepherds and sells Office, produced nearly twice as much operating profit as the Windows Division in fiscal 2013.
What's more, Apple released the Mavericks edition of Mac OS X as a free upgrade, leaving Microsoft as the lone seller of desktop operating systems. Finding ways to broaden the appeal of signature products such as Office might help Microsoft preserve or even grow profits in a world where Windows is cheap or free, Tim says.
Do you agree? Or would you view a move to decouple Office from Windows as destabilizing? Please watch the video to get Tim's full take and then leave a comment to let us know what you think.
Stocks that won't split up with your portfolio
If Microsoft proves anything, it's that competitive advantages can come and go. So how do you find stocks with sustainable advantages? Our CEO, legendary investor Tom Gardner, has some ideas and he's permitted us to reveal them in the new special report, "The Motley Fool's 3 Stocks to Own Forever." These picks are free today! Just click here now to start reading.
The article Windows and Office: Will the Marriage Soon Be Over? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Fool contributor Tim Beyers is a member of the Motley Fool Rule Breakers stock-picking team and the Motley Fool Supernova Odyssey I mission. He owned shares of Apple and Google at the time of publication. Check out Tim's web home and portfolio holdings or connect with him on Google+, Tumblr, or Twitter, where he goes by @milehighfool. You can also get his insights delivered directly to your RSS reader.The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Apple and Google. It also owns shares of Microsoft. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
