Does Microsoft in future also pays more attention to consumer and prosumers? Seems so, according to latest reports and Tuesday's announcement that Microsoft has hired Todd Peters, formerly an executive with Staples, to become Microsoft's Corporate Vice President of Marketing for its mobile communications business. According to Yahoo! News, Peters is tasked with positioning Windows Mobile to appeal more to a consumer audience. He fills a position left vacant by Suzan DelBene, who recently left the company. The announcement reflect a recent push at Microsoft to attract more consumers:

"We are definitely moving into making Windows Mobile come alive for the consumer," said Scott Rockfeld, group product manager at Microsoft's Windows Mobile group. Rockfeld and other Windows Mobile executives have been emphasizing that the operating system is designed to be attractive to users in their personal lives as well as their work lives.

So far, Windows Mobile mainly addressed the corporate market and Exchange customer. Sure, also consumers and prosumers bought Windows Mobile PDAs and smartphones in the past and Microsoft never hid that you can also listen music, watch videos and play games with your Windows Mobile device but the clear focus - also in the communication - was about "work wherever you are".

Cheers ~ Arne