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Microsoft’s Surface chief now leads Windows and hardware

CyberPanda

CyberPanda

Banned
Microsoft’s Surface chief now leads Windows and hardware - The Verge

February 5, 2020 11:54 am


It’s Microsoft reorg day today, and the biggest changes involve Surface chief Panos Panay taking over Windows client and hardware. ZDNet reports that the previously separate Windows Experience (client) and hardware teams will now be combined into a single group that will be known as Devices + Windows. Chief product officer Panos Panay will take charge of this newly formed unit, in a clear sign that Microsoft is serious about more closely aligning its software and hardware for Surface and beyond.

Joe Belfiore, who was running Windows Experience, is now moving over to the Office side of Microsoft later this year. Belfiore has spent the majority of his time at Microsoft on the Windows side, from working on Windows 95, the Windows XP user interface, Windows Media Center, and, of course, Windows Phone. Belfiore will be helping lead the Office Experience Group, which looks after the core Office apps. He will also reportedly continue to lead the Essential Products Inclusive Community, which includes Edge and Microsoft’s related mobile apps for iOS and Android.


Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore.

Microsoft previously aligned the core parts of the Windows platform team with its AI platform and Azure cloud platform teams nearly two years ago, and these latest changes don’t change that. Microsoft has been attempting to better integrate Windows and Surface hardware, especially for products like the Surface Hub 2S and its upcoming Surface Neo dual-screen device. Panay’s move appears to be the next step in that work, but he won’t be taking a place on Microsoft’s senior leadership team. He will still report into Rajesh Jha, who heads up the Experiences and Devices unit at Microsoft.

ZDNet also reveals that Panay may have been considering a new role inside or outside of Microsoft that could have involved a leave of absence or even him joining Apple. If that’s accurate, then such a move would certainly prompt Microsoft to try to keep its Surface chief from joining a rival like Apple.
Click to expand...

www.theverge.com/platform/amp/2020/2/5/21124805/microsoft-panos-panay-windows-hardware-devices-joe-belfiore-office-team-reorg

He will be looking after the Xbox division now probably in terms of hardware, and design.
 
D

darkinstinct

...lacks reading comprehension.
VlaudTheImpaler

VlaudTheImpaler

tl;dr
darkinstinct said:
I would not be so sure. The Xbox hardware being a part of Windows devices was what created Xbox One, Microsoft then acknowledged that and separated Xbox from that. Xbox hardware should remain under Phil Spencer.
Click to expand...
Agreed, but Phil would be a fool to not deliberate with Panos for input on design in particular... If he already hasn't of course.
 
it_wasn't_me

it_wasn't_me

Banned
Gavon West said:
Panos?? That's huge! Holy shit!
Click to expand...
darkinstinct said:
I would not be so sure. The Xbox hardware being a part of Windows devices was what created Xbox One, Microsoft then acknowledged that and separated Xbox from that. Xbox hardware should remain under Phil Spencer.
Click to expand...
VlaudTheImpaler said:
Agreed, but Phil would be a fool to not deliberate with Panos for input on design in particular... If he already hasn't of course.
Click to expand...


Panos already had influence in designing X1X and XSX. So, why surprise then?

 
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Cert.in.Death

Cert.in.Death

Member
Solid track record, tough to argue against. Surface, particularly, was a major gamble that paid off big, so it’s not a shock MS would award him a promotion.
 
it_wasn't_me

it_wasn't_me

Banned
Gavon West said:
Because now he's in charge of the hardware, fully! C'mon broski! Must you guys always try to downplay EVERYTHING Xbox related?
Click to expand...

So, where i've downplayed Panay's role or any Xbox related news in this thread? Yeah, nowhere ( for now at least :) ). Btw. he was one of the architect of XSX ( main one left to Intel ), so, why pretending how everyone are surprised like he wasn't part of the X1X and XSX? Everybody knew that.
 
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EverydayBeast

EverydayBeast

thinks Halo Infinite is a new graphical benchmark
Makes no sense why this is in the gaming section, fits more in with the OT and PC, this means we'll have more Surface products.
 
D

Deleted member 774430

Unconfirmed Member
Great move for Microsoft.

Great personality on stage, i really like his work he has done with Surface over the years, but the article doesn't mention anywhere that he'll work on Xbox too.
 
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