Ballmer talks phone and numbers

Cleve Nettles
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September 24, 2009
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Steve Ballmer dished some device numbers to Techcrunch this evening.  Included in here was the wisdom of Microsoft not making its own branded phone because..

What does Apple sell every year of iPods: 30 million, order of magnitude, something like that. What is the whole video game market is maybe 30 or 40 million in units a year. But when you get these categories that are 300 million, 500 million, a billion, a billion-five a year, the truth of the matter is you’re gonna want multiple points of manufacture, with a lot of innovation around it whether its supply chain, for geographic diversity, and our basic play with our software is to try and be super high volume. So I think you can have an Apple in the phone business, or a RIM, and they can do very well, but when 1.3 billion phones a year are all smart, the software that’s gonna be most popular in those phones is gonna be software that’s sold by somebody who doesn’t make their own phone. And, we don’t want to cross the chasm in the short run and lose the war in the long run and that’s why we think the software play is the right play for us for high volume, even though some of the guys in the market today with vertically oriented solutions may do just fine.

Great points all, especially when Microsoft's branded Pink phones were outed this week.  Maybe these phones are so secret that no one told Monkey Boy of their existance.  Check the video out below:

 

Comments (13)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 24, 2009 - 11:34pm

"Maybe these phones are so secret that no one told Monkey Boy of their existance"

HAHA, i laughed hard at "Monkey Boy"

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 24, 2009 - 11:46pm

In other words, "how the crap do you expect us to build our own phones ?? - don't you see Windows ? Don't you see WinMo ? We're down to hobos working for us in Microsoft. We know how to build cheap junk but don't know how to build good things".

Yeh monkey !

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 25, 2009 - 12:34am

I totally agree. And WTF is this BS from Ballmer all about?

"...when 1.3 billion phones a year are all smart, the software that’s gonna be most popular in those phones is gonna be software that’s sold by somebody who doesn’t make their own phone."

Who says someone shouldn't make their own phone and software? Just because Microsoft is incapable doesn't mean it shouldn't be done. Apple has been doing it for a little over two years now and no one has been able to match the marriage between software and hardware they've created.

Macnerd (not verified) | September 25, 2009 - 1:12am

Well, Monkey Boy has form. His past predictions on the iPhone's potential for success (search YouTube for it and enjoy) make you wonder how a man who so obviously embarrassed himself by his lack of vision and understanding of the market is still at the head of the world's largest SW company. Then again, that also tells you all you need to know about M$ and how far out of touch they are. We should love Ballmer - He regularly gives us reason to be happy that the head of our favourite fruit themed tech company isn't a fat, obnoxious, sweaty, lumbering oaf with barely a clue as to what people really want and who regularly makes a complete arse of himself, then does it all over again a few months later.

M$ - Always late to the party and mistakenly thinking it was fancy dress.

Macnerd (not verified) | September 25, 2009 - 1:14am

Well, Monkey Boy has form. His past predictions on the iPhone's potential for success (search YouTube for it and enjoy) make you wonder how a man who so obviously embarrassed himself by his lack of vision and understanding of the market is still at the head of the world's largest SW company. Then again, that also tells you all you need to know about M$ and how far out of touch they are. We should love Ballmer - He regularly gives us reason to be happy that the head of our favourite fruit themed tech company isn't a fat, obnoxious, sweaty, lumbering oaf with barely a clue as to what people really want and who regularly makes a complete arse of himself, then does it all over again a few months later.

M$ - Always late to the party and mistakenly thinking it was fancy dress.

Jack B (not verified) | September 25, 2009 - 2:14am

This also (doesn't) explains why MS are into the gaming market (x-Box) or the MP3 market with their Zune, both with 'only a few million sales per year". Or maybe he doesn't realise he is in these markets.

Tamay (not verified) | September 25, 2009 - 3:10am

Great article :)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 25, 2009 - 3:49am

Monkey wants banana

mniessen (not verified) | September 25, 2009 - 4:39am

Haha!
Is that a bowl with some fruit in it, over his left shoulder? You can tell he's already had the banana, but left the apple well alone!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 25, 2009 - 4:45am

It's no good talking any more. He needs to be using the products himself or get people who can speak openly and get them to use the products.

Nobody believes talk anymore.

Guido (not verified) | September 25, 2009 - 7:26am

Funny that Mr. Balmer keeps trying to out do Apple at every turn.
He and his company has lost all hope of ever getting back into the lead, One that comes from behind will always look at the ass.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 25, 2009 - 10:16am

I just wish he would wipe his nose instead of making snuffle noises all along. Jeez, please have some manner...

gargravarr (not verified) | September 25, 2009 - 12:25pm

Every public comment Ballmer makes follows the same pattern - a rambling, incoherent mish-mash of barely connected (and usually proven inaccurate) statements. Long may he reign over Microshaft.