Mobile devices uninteresting without cloud: Satya Nadella

Microsoft's India-born CEO Satya Nadella, while signaling a new course for the firm, said mobile and cloud are "two facets" of the same thing, a belief that found place in his maiden speech as chief executive of the software giant.

Nadella, who was appointed Microsoft's third CEO last month, after Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, referred to the Redmond-headquartered firm "embracing the new mobile-first, cloud-first world" in his first speech. "I don't think of the cloud and mobile as two things. They are two facets of one thing.

The cloud was created to enable mobility. And mobile devices are really uninteresting without the cloud. "That's why I talk about them together. Mobile without cloud is limiting. The cloud without mobile is mostly latent potential," Nadella said in a blog post yesterday after he was quizzed about his focus on cloud and mobile.

Cloud generally refers to the use of a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet. This allows users to store and access data such as photographs, documents and music using devices including mobile phones, tablets and computers. Nadella said: "Simply put, our vision is to deliver the best cloud-connected experience on every device." Microsoft yesterday unveiled its Office suite for Apple's iPad, hinting at the firm's growing stress on mobile apps.

Microsoft said Office 365 subscribers can add iPad as one of the chosen devices in their subscription benefits and can create and edit documents with Word, PowerPoint and Excel. The apps are available as free downloads from Apple's App Store.

Nadella said the world is "exploding" with device types, shapes, sizes and form factors and will continue to do so. Devices extend abilities in ways that are uniquely suited to task, context and occasion. "As long as human curiosity and ambition drive us to create new things, capture moments and collaborate to get things done, we should expect the world of devices to follow suit. In fact, that's what drives our ongoing evolution of Windows," the Hyderabad-born techie said.

The cloud is how a phone, a tablet, a computer and a TV -- all get on the same page and enable movement between them without extra effort, he added. "The cloud is how a device becomes your device. And the cloud is how your device becomes part of your life, by connecting to all the people, information and experiences that matter to you. And for us, the cloud is also how a tablet becomes a useful and powerful tool," Nadella said.

The cloud is how a phone, a tablet, a computer and a TV - all get on the same page and enable movement between them without extra effort, he added.

"The cloud is how a device becomes your device. And the cloud is how your device becomes part of your life, by connecting to all the people, information and experiences that matter to you. And for us, the cloud is also how a tablet becomes a useful and powerful tool," Nadella said.

Stressing on the need for quick delivery, Nadela said a great idea should not wait.

"An impromptu call with a customer shouldn't be delayed because you don't have the right data on hand. Life moves too fast to put limits on where and how you work. Just as the best camera is the one you have with you, sometimes the right device is the one closest at hand," the engineering graduate from Mangalore University said.

Microsoft, while unveiling its popular Office software suite for iPad, announced free Office Mobile for iPhone and Android phones.

The company also announced its Enterprise Mobility Suite, a comprehensive set of cloud services, to help businesses manage and secure corporate data and services on the devices people use at work and at home.

The firm said Microsoft Azure Active Directory Premium and enhancements to Windows Intune would be available soon.

Research firm Tech Market View said Nadella's first major launch as Microsoft CEO has decoupled Office from Windows, making it available on the iPad.

The cross-platform stance for one of its most precious assets demonstrates he lives in the real world and will not be protecting Windows at all costs.

On Office for iPad, Nadella said: "We're bringing Office, the gold standard in getting things done, to the iPad. A billion people rely on Office every day and we've worked diligently to create a version of Word, Excel and PowerPoint that delivers best productivity experience available on iPad."

Office for iPad offers content rendering and authoring, analysis and presentation experiences that Office customers expect on all their devices, he added.

Nadella said Microsoft is "fully committed to offering market-leading productivity solutions across all popular platforms and devices."

Word, Excel and PowerPoint for iPad join other cross-platform apps including Skype, Xbox Music, Bing, OneNote, Office Mobile for iPhone and Android phones and Mac Office.

"The cloud is enabling a world where you can walk up to any supported device, sign in, collaborate, communicate and share your creations with the world. Doesn't matter what you make, where you make it or what device you use.

"That's where we're headed together. Into a world where the devices you love work with the services you love in a way that IT and developers love. For work, play and everything in between," Nadella said.