October 26, 2023, 3:08 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Even the biggest CEOs can make mistakes or have regrets. This was recently revealed by Satya Nadella, the Microsoft CEO, who shared a decision he wishes he had made differently.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella surprised many with an admission. In a recent interview with Business Insider*, he discussed not only his responsibilities and challenges at the tech giant but also revealed his biggest mistake. Looking back, his decision is more than surprising.
Nadella: “One of the toughest decisions I’ve made”
Since 2014, Satya Nadella has been steering the course of the tech company as Microsoft CEO, responsible for all major decisions. Looking at the portfolio, there are various products: operating systems, laptops, PC hardware, Office services, etc. But one thing is missing: smartphones.
He was the one who decided in 2017 to discontinue Windows Phones. When asked in the interview if he regrets any decision in hindsight, the CEO replied: “The decision that I think many talk about–and one of the toughest decisions I made when I became CEO–was our exit from what I then called the mobile phone. In hindsight, I think there could have been ways to make it work […].”
Looking at today, it was a fatal decision. Smartphones are ubiquitous and almost indispensable in our daily lives. Had the development continued, Windows Phone might be an alternative to Android and iPhones today. But of course, these are all just speculations.
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What could the Windows Phone do?
In the early 2010s, Microsoft introduced the first Windows Phone in collaboration with Nokia. Windows Phone served as the operating system, which was gradually integrated into Nokia devices.
However, the operating system was doomed to fail early on. While the system itself wasn’t bad, there were issues with third-party software, which was simply lacking. Additionally, Android and iOS were superior in many respects and often more forward-thinking. The Windows Phone business was therefore not profitable. So it was no surprise that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella pulled the plug and discontinued Windows Phone once and for all in 2017, even though he now regrets the decision.
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A revival of the Windows Phone is not in sight. Microsoft itself has written on its support page that users should switch to an Android or iOS device instead.
* Transparency note: Business Insider, like TECHBOOK, is part of Axel Springer SE