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Microsoft Backs Out Of Wi-Fi Equipment Market

Posted by timothy on from the may-mean-some-bargains dept.

Glenn Fleishman writes "Say it ain't so! Microsoft makes good consumer Wi-Fi equipment but is exiting the market, News.com reports. They'll sell out their inventory, but won't make new models or produce new product. I can't recall a case in which Microsoft had viable products and decent sales and exited instead of spending more money to compete more effectively. Or even when they had non-viable products (Pocket PC's original OS) and spent years and billions before they had something that worked. Perhaps competition from Cisco (Linksys subsidiary), NetGear, and even Apple (which has a disproportionate marketshare) made MSFT blink."

2 of 348 comments (clear)

  1. That's a change of pace... by GFLPraxis · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Well, now, this is the last thing I ever expected.
    I can't recall one instance of Microsoft backing out of a market once it had entered. Even when the competition has a staggeringly huge marketshare and better system in comparison (such as Microsoft Music Store coming soon vs iTunes).

    Is this a change in Microsoft? Or are they just trying to focus their resources on monopolizing other markets instead?

    Probably the latter ;)

  2. Re:The tide turns... by treerex · · Score: 1, Redundant

    Clearly Microsoft is reeling under the impact of Linux, and is regrouping for a last stand.

    Uh, yeah, that's the ticket. Linux really ate that absolutely huge router market Microsoft was dominating.

    What is important is that you believe it.