This post from Stratechery is worth a listen if you have broad interests in the future of technology. The discussion covered so many topics, but I latched on to suggestions that Apple give up on their own cloud strategy and partner with another company that is more successful in implementing the cloud. The two suggestions were Microsoft and DropBox.
I do applaud Microsoft for an obvious advantage over Apple in the use of the cloud. I actually like OneNote, but still use Evernote. What I am having difficulty imagining going forward is where future Microsoft revenue will come from. What is it that Microsoft offers you really need to pay for?
In the era of the cloud, an OS, software, and apps are the core building blocks of our use of technology. Microsoft is not a hardware company. Microsoft is an operating system and app company. An OS comes free with Apple hardware. Apple makes money on hardware. Chrome OS will run on pretty much any hardware. Google makes money on ads. Microsoft apps are fine, but how many users need to pay for Word, Excel, etc.? Docs is beautifully embedded in the cloud and costs nothing. Apple gives its apps away.
Apple paying Microsoft for cloud services seems the source of revenue Microsoft will need in the long run.