Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) plans to bolster its Chinese operations and throw more money at research and development to improve its mobile business, according to a report from the Associated Press.
Microsoft will add more than 1,000 employees to is operations in China, a country that represents a huge opportunity. Keep in mind that more than 400 million people there use their phones to access the Internet. The company also will boost spending on R&D by 15%.
The efforts are being made as Microsoft navigates a fierce competitive landscape, with rivals like Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) dominating the industry. Even home-grown companies are a factor — for example, Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) recently launched its own mobile browser.
Microsoft has the scale to invest for the long haul, but to date, its cash hoard has not been much of a help as far as mobile innovation has been concerned.
– Tom Taulli, InvestorPlace
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