R.I.P: Microsoft Courier Dies

A few months ago, the web was going wild with all the rumors floating around about Apple’s iTablet and Microsoft Courier. As it turned out, Apple’s product was named the iPad and got released to the market in April. Unfortunately, Microsoft Courier will never make it. At least not anytime soon. Microsoft has decided to put a stop to the project and focus its resources on other projects. MS Courier was widely considered to be an iTablet killer even though we never saw what it was truly capable of. Now will be up to other products to challenge the iPad.

Microsoft’s Frank Shaw all but confirmed this story with Engadget:

At any given time, we’re looking at new ideas, investigating, testing, incubating them. It’s in our DNA to develop new form factors and natural user interfaces to foster productivity and creativity. The Courier project is an example of this type of effort. It will be evaluated for use in future offerings, but we have no plans to build such a device at this time.

It’s not clear why Microsoft gave up on Courier project. Maybe it was not able to contain costs and come up with a device that people can afford to buy. It’s also possible that Microsoft is putting its eggs in the netbook basket. Bill Gates has been skeptical of Apple’s touch-enabled products in the past. Considering that Microsoft is a proud company, it could be making a point here by taking a stand for netbooks.

In reality, Microsoft still fails to understand what makes Apple so successful with its products. The company is not a market leader these days. Some can be market followers and remain successful. That does not seem to be the case with Microsoft. Courier could have been that outside-the-box e-reader to challenge the iPad and other e-readers on the market. Maybe it was too outside-the-box for Microsoft.