Word from numerous sources, including this excellent overview on Searchblog, about a management reorganization at Microsoft.
John B. writes of Searchblog:
For all those watching the AOL/MSN/Google M&A game, Microsoft’s recent reorg, covered here (NYT), is worth noting. The company is creating three divisions, and the one I find critical is what is called “Platform Products and Services”. This division combines Windows and MSN, and that is an important shift – the two are increasingly interdependent. Applications like Office are now in a separate division, as are Entertainment and Devices.
Martin LaMonica’s article at News.com offers more analysis: Microsoft reorg a bulwark against Google?
Microsoft’s decision to combine MSN with its platform products group is “a Google reaction,” said Frank Gillett, an analyst at Forrester Research. “Microsoft is certainly alerted to the impact Google is having on what Microsoft thinks is their domain.”