Windows Phone poaches top Samsung executive

[3GScottishUser]

Samsung’s vice president of consumer and enterprise services, Gavin Kim, will be General Manager of the Windows Phone team. “I will be responsible to help set the future direction for the Windows Phone platform and to accelerate Microsoft’s trajectory to win the hearts and minds of consumers, carriers, device manufacturers, developers and partners,” Kim told BGR.


Kim, who was key to the launch of Samsung’s much-praised Galaxy SII mobile phone, as well as the Galaxy Tab Tablets, said Windows Phone users were already fervent fans, but that his job would be to spread the message more widely.


BGR described the recruitment as “a huge score for Microsoft”, timed as the company is working on a second update to Windows Phone, building on the version 7.5 update, codenamed ‘Mango’ that will be pushed heavily by Nokia.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/microsoft/8876362/Windows-Phone-poaches-top-Samsung-executive.html

[Ben]

I hope this doesn't cause bad blood between the two - I think Samsung could produce some successful Windows Phone 7 handsets and further grow its market share.

[3GScottishUser]

I don't think there is any issue betweeen Samsung and Microsoft judging by their press releases regarding this high profile defection.

Bottom line is Microsoft are hungry for mobile OS share and they have gone to the company with the most promising product line to poach someone who has experience in knowing how to get market share.

Microsoft are investing to make Windows Mobile (which now has broad support) a runner against iOS and Android.

Good for innovation, competition and consumers I think.

[Ben]

Which raises a point... what about Nokia? Seems you can't swing a cat in the mobile space these days without hitting someone square in the face.