The future of technology is in Asia
Round-table interview with Nick Parker, vice president, Worldwide Marketing, Microsoft Microsoft APAC OEM Division and John MacLellan, General Manager, OEM Business in Las Vegas.
PHILIPPINE STAR: How do you see Asia’s growth in this age of technology?
NICK PARKER: The reason why it so interesting is because most of the world’s innovation is coming out of Asia. Incredible intellectual property is coming out of the countries in Asia. If we just take Taiwan at the moment, Microsoft recently invested in the Taiwan center. It is a Microsoft headquarters investment for our partners in Taiwan to be able to able to take the Microsoft platform and the software engineers and to enable them to innovate on top of the platform and work real time in local time zone with people that are actually deep inside Microsoft.
What innovations are coming out of Asia?
The bleeding edge of innovation if you look at the larger Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) at the moment is coming from Asia. You see the Taiwan-based Original Design Manufacturers (ODMs) and some of the Taiwan-based development centers or the large OEMs having great relations with Microsoft.
Is it just Taiwan?
No, the launch of devices from Samsung and Asus show that there are also other countries in Asia that are spurring the growth. These devices have built design and manufactures in Asia and they have a huge worldwide impact.
How do you look at the Asian manufacturers?
It very important for us not to think of Asia as a domestic market, but as the hub and the center of innovation for PC it is very important. There are a lot of fast growth markets in Asia as well as very many well-developed markets where we can share a lot of technology and learning.
How does Microsoft see its presence in Asia?
We don’t want to help only in the development area but we also want to help them push their own programs and developments. We want to help them generate worldwide revenues with what they have created.
Here at the CES we have hosted facilities where OEMs and ODMs can meet and create their own deals. This is not just for Microsoft, but it is also so that we may help service the local communities where they come from.
