Thanks Christopher Coulter for sending this in.
Microsoft is shaking up its Mobility Group, swapping executives and changing the calendar under which software gets released in an effort to jump-start the company"s push into handhelds and cell phones.
The most recent change involves a new manager for the division. Kevin Shields has quietly become the new general manager, the company confirmed Monday, taking over for Ben Waldman, the division"s vice president, who is taking a personal leave.
Change has been a constant for the group since last October when the company released an upgrade of its Pocket PC 2002 handheld operating system. Around the same time, Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer began to personally oversee the group. Since then, two other key executives have left the group.
Other changes involve scheduled updates to the Pocket PC operating system for handhelds and the Smartphone operating system for cell phones. Sources familiar with the company"s plans say that upgrades to these operating systems will be synchronized with updates to Windows. Synchronizing the releases will allow Microsoft to more tightly integrate these products as well as better coordinate the overall marketing plan.
Windows typically gets updated in the fall and spring. Pocket PC upgrades have generally taken place on an independent schedule.