Redmond stops paying for employees iPhone data services

A purported cost-cutting move by the software giant cut payments for smartphone services powered by software other than Windows Mobile. This can be viewed as a healthy move to get employees eating the company’s own dog food or the very definition of sour grapes.

BusinessInsider reports that in addition to slashing thousands of employees Microsoft’s added a new cost-cutting measure—the company won’t pay for workers’ iPhone, BlackBerry and Palm Pre data services—which they refer to as a “perk.” However, Redmond will continue to reimburse workers for Windows Mobile smartphone data services. Dan Frommer with BusinessInsider said:

But for many Microsoft employees who use their devices to do company work on the road, it no doubt feels like a shafting. Compared to the iPhone, new BlackBerry software, or even Google (GOOG) Android, today’s Windows Mobile is clunky and unappealing. New, less-crappy editions are on the way, but that doesn’t help today.

See also:
— Microsoft legislates against iPhones (News.com)
— Mac buyers pay $500 more ‘to get a logo on it,’ says Microsoft CEO
— Melinda Gates eyes Apple’s forbidden fruits

Because leading edge smartphones like the iPhone, BlackBerry and, perhaps, Palm Pre are so integral to the way people get work done and do business, it’s quite absurd for Microsoft to insist that employees must use Microsoft product, which is notably inferior and bleeding market share. The company is preventing their employees to being best-of-class.

Thereupon, it would be one thing for Redmond to prorate payment for competitor smartphone data services, and making employees pick up the difference, and quite another to completely write off those services because they aren’t sold by the software giant.

Microsoft’s anti-iPhone stance highlights a sense of antipathy, bitterness even, towards innovation by Microsoft. Then again, what’s new about that…

What’s your take?

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