Editor’s Note: Related tickers: Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F), Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK)
Ford Chief Mulally Says He’ll Stay at Automaker Through 2014 (BusinessWeek)
Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally said he intends to stay as head of the second-biggest U.S. carmaker through next year, following reports that Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) may seek to recruit him. “I plan to continue to serve as Ford’s president and CEO until at least the end of 2014,” to remain “absolutely laser focused” on earnings growth, Mulally wrote in an e-mail to Bloomberg News today. “I love serving Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) and will continue serving Ford,” Mulally said in an interview from Berlin with Anna Edwards on Bloomberg Television’s “Countdown.”
Asha to Ashes: Microsoft’s emerging market conundrum (Reuters)
Microsoft Corp’s (MSFT.O) acquisition of Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK) handset business gives the software behemoth control of its main Windows smartphone partner, but leaves a question mark over the bigger business it has bought: Nokia’s cheap and basic phones that still dominate emerging markets like India. Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer has said he sees such phones – of which Nokia shipped more than 50 million last quarter – as an entree to more expensive fare.
Microsoft Insists Surface VARs Can Match It on Price (ChannelNomics)
Microsoft Corp. has insisted the right channel model is in place for its Surface tablet and that resellers can meet its direct price. Last month it came to light that some of the nine Authorised Reseller Partners were selling the RT tablet for more than Microsoft was offering it for via its online store. Some of the nine approved Surface resellers — Misco, CCS Media, Softcat, Phoenix Software, Insight, Kelway, SCC, Computacenter and SoftwareONE — were offering both the 32GB and 64GB RT tablets at between eight and 11 percent higher than the price quoted on the Microsoft online store.
Microsoft Does Not Expect to Lose Considerable Amounts of Money on Xbox One Hardware. (xBitLabs)
Microsoft Corp. will not make money selling Xbox One consoles, but will early by selling games for the platform. Nonetheless, the company does not want to lose a lot on the game system even initially, which is why the software giant will sell Xbox One for $499, a new high for the company. The company also does not expect to lose a lot on hardware. “We are looking to be around break even or low margin, on the [Xbox One] hardware, […] so that we can get as broad distribution as possible. […] Then we make money selling additional games, the Xbox Live service, and other capabilities on top.
