Welcome to 2015: A look ahead as Microsoft faces perhaps its biggest year, ever

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Published onJanuary 2, 2015

published onJanuary 2, 2015

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In many ways, 2014 was a year of survival for Microsoft. With a new CEO, a newish “One Microsoft” mantra, a giant acquisition of Nokia’s phones businesses, the Xbox One, Microsoft Band, and even a surprising winner in the third generation of Surface, Microsoft spent 2014 setting expectations, re-aligning, and laying the groundwork for an even bigger year ahead.

There’s no doubt, 2015 will be the year of Windows 10, and all its permutations. While Windows 10 may finally deliver the Windows 8 we wanted all along, it will even more importantly offer up the first incarnation of a “unified platform”, where apps can ship to desktops, phones, tablets, and Xbox, all based on a single code base, tweaked only for form factors.

It’s a make or break year, too, for Windows Phone: either it gains some traction, or we mark 2015 as the beginning of the end for the troubled mobile ecosystem. Windows 10 is a bit of a last gasp for Windows Phone, and if a unified apps platform doesn’t do it, maybe nothing will.

This year, we’re not going to have to wait long for the action to begin, and Microsoft’s 2015 calendar is filling up fast. Here are some highlights:

Somewhere in there too should be the introduction of a new member (or new members) of the Surface family, an updated Band, some new brand names and maybe even some new services, renewed emphasis on Bing Maps, a better Skype, a touch-centric Office, and hopefully even a few surprises. This is going to be a big year for Microsoft, a year of rapid innovation and deployment. For the first time in a long time, all the shackles are off and Microsoft will be moving full speed ahead. We can’t wait!

Kip Kniskern

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Kip Kniskern

With KB5043178 to Release Preview Channel, Microsoft advises Windows 11 users to plug in when the battery is low#

Copilot in Outlook will generate personalized themes for you to customize the app#

Microsoft will raise the price of its 365 Suite to include AI capabilities#

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Welcome to 2015: A look ahead as Microsoft faces perhaps its biggest year, ever#

With KB5043178 to Release Preview Channel, Microsoft advises Windows 11 users to plug in when the battery is low

Copilot in Outlook will generate personalized themes for you to customize the app

Microsoft will raise the price of its 365 Suite to include AI capabilities

Death Stranding Director’s Cut is now Xbox X|S at a huge discount

Outlook will let users create custom account icons so they can tell their accounts apart easier

Welcome to 2015: A look ahead as Microsoft faces perhaps its biggest year, ever