cover of episode Episode 8: Acompli, Sunrise, and Wunderlist (w/ Kurt DelBene)

Episode 8: Acompli, Sunrise, and Wunderlist (w/ Kurt DelBene)

2016/2/29
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B
Ben Gilbert
D
David Rosenthal
K
Kurt DelBene
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Kurt DelBene认为微软收购Acompli，Sunrise和Wunderlist是战略性收购，旨在增强Office在移动领域的竞争力，弥补其在移动端应用的不足。收购的重点在于产品本身的优秀，而非仅仅为了获得人才或打压竞争对手。微软注重人才保留和团队文化，并利用微软的资源来加速团队目标的实现。通常不会将被收购团队迁移到雷德蒙德，而是尊重团队的原有位置和文化。微软努力利用被收购团队的技能和愿景，例如提拔Javier Soltero领导整个Outlook团队。微软在移动端提供免费应用体验，并通过增值功能和订阅模式实现盈利。微软需要在所有流行的设备上提供一流的Office体验，以满足用户跨设备使用的需求。Outlook的统一收件箱功能满足了用户整合不同邮箱的需求，延续了Outlook整合邮件、日历和任务的传统。微软对Acompli等应用的收购成功与否的衡量标准，并非仅仅是财务指标，而是用户参与度和产品体验等方面。 Ben Gilbert认为微软收购Acompli主要是因为其产品本身的优秀，解决了Outlook Web Access应用的不足。 David Rosenthal认为微软对Acompli、Sunrise和Wunderlist的收购，是一个“套餐式”的收购，涵盖了人员、技术、产品和业务线等多个方面，旨在重振Outlook业务线。微软的收购凸显了“自带客户端”的趋势，即用户可以自主选择客户端应用来访问服务。优秀的软件产品最终会脱颖而出，微软的收购也体现了这一点。微软在收购方面的经验不断积累，并持续改进其执行方式。

Deep Dive

Chapters
Microsoft's shift from a Windows-centric to a mobile-first, cloud-first strategy is discussed, focusing on the acquisitions of Acompli, Sunrise, and Wunderlist to enhance Office 365 on mobile platforms.
  • Microsoft's core competency was initially on the desktop, but it recognized the need for a strong mobile presence.
  • The acquisitions aimed to provide a great cross-platform experience for core office scenarios like email, contacts, calendar, and tasks.
  • Microsoft's strategy involves offering a free experience with the option for incremental paid features, leveraging subscription models across devices.

Shownotes Transcript

Ben and David have special guest Kurt DelBene on to discuss Microsoft's acquisition of Acompli, Sunrise, and Wunderlist. Kurt is the EVP of Corporate Strategy and Planning at Microsoft, and joins to discuss Microsoft’s cloud-first, mobile-first strategy, and the importance of being cross-platform in the modern era. They cover: 

  • How the app of Outlook Mobile on iPhone and Android came to be.
  • How to decide whether to build vs. buy, and how it plays into the strategy for Office.
  • How to preserve a culture and a team, and how Javier Soltero came to run all of Outlook at Microsoft.
  • The origin of Outlook on the PC, originally led by Brian MacDonald as “Ren”.
  • How to balance a business with competing priorities, and a decision-making framework for acquisitions in a large company.
  • How to measure the success of an acquisition, and how sometimes, it’s not by measuring revenue at all.

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