Customers' changing expectations are behind Microsoft Corp.'s decision to offer some of its applications over the Web, in the form of free services supported by advertising, a company executive said Monday. The change in course led to last week's management shakeup, he said.
Customers are too accustomed to free services for Microsoft to pursue a subscription-based approach with its Windows Live online services planned for later this year, said Chris Dobson, general manager of digital marketing sales and trade marketing at MSN International. As a result, Microsoft hopes to fund those free services through advertising, a market that is expected to be worth $45 billion by 2008, he said.
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