MS completely missed on mobile phones and tablets, despite trying so many times at it. The “Windows everywhere” approach prevented them from doing what really had to be done (make something new for these new devices). That was all under the Ballmer era.
It’s only now that they have a new CEO who is happy to pursue other approaches that they have been able to start going in a better direction again.
Exactly. Bill stepped down in 2008. Balmer was CEO until 2014. Oddly that’s when their products started to turn around significantly.
Cook has made a lot of original Mac power users completely pissed. He’s gutted entire software products that people relied upon using. He’s probably why we had the half decade of MBPs developers didn’t like. Etc. His best accomplishment has been the services stuff and maybe the M1.
It’s only now that they have a new CEO who is happy to pursue other approaches that they have been able to start going in a better direction again.