On Thursday, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella made the news that was rumored to be true finally official: Microsoft Office is now available on the iPad. Shares of Microsoft were up on the news.
On Friday's Investor Beat, host Chris Hill and Motley Fool analyst Ron Gross discuss the move, which many considered to be long overdue. Ron thinks it was an excellent decision, one that could potentially bring in $1 billion or more in additional revenue. One reason former CEO Steve Ballmer had resisted the move for so long was due to Apple getting a portion of that revenue. Thirty percent of Office 365 subscriptions are made as in-app purchases; but as a win-win for both companies, this may represent a fundamental shift in the way Microsoft approaches crossing platforms to sell software.
Then, Amazon is holding a media event next Wednesday to provide an update on the company's video business. Many reports have indicated that it will be launching a free, ad-supported TV service separate from Amazon Prime. Is this the right move for the company, or does it take away from the Prime service already offered? Chris and Ron take a look at the potential move by Amazon, and what it could do for the company's business. Ron sees room for both the subscription service and the free ad-supported television service, and notes the enormous amount of advertising dollars out there that could be a big win if executed well.
And finally, Perry Ellis International reports earnings next Thursday, and in this segment of Friday's Investor Beat, Motley Fool analyst Ron Gross discusses why he's looking at the stock this week. Shares were crushed when the company reported preliminary earnings a couple of weeks ago, citing similar difficulties to other apparel retailers, including the winter weather this quarter and the overall retail environment. Ron will be watching closely to see where the company actually lands next week.
