Why isn't there an Xbox handheld?

[Reasonable]

Adinnieken said:
@Reasonable

I agree. I don't think Microsoft wants to be in the consumer hardware manufacturing business, but in order to have a platform for it's products and services it's finding it must.

Microsoft has had a problem of creating software that is often ahead of the game but nobody realizes the potential or value of it. Sometimes not even Microsoft.

@Disolutude

I don't think Microsoft ever wants to do a dedicated device again, at least not if it's that late to the market as it was with the Zune. The market changed pretty quickly on Microsoft. Not only in the media player sphere, but in the mobile phone sphere as well.

In the PC sphere, they typically are influencing the industry if not ahead of the game with inside information. In the gaming sphere, they've been able to influence the direction of the industry. Apple and Nintendo are the only other hardware manufacturers to have been able to do that in the past several years.

If Microsoft were to get into mobile gaming with a serious mobile gaming platform, then it would be a combination of phone and gaming platform. Not a dedicated device.

The question I believe is therefore do MS need their own platform to get ahead in the market?  Right now I think that's a no.  I believe MS will concentrate via OS for Windows/Tablet to get into the market.  If they really need to they might consider their own hardware but I think they'll be doubtful.  With the Xbox MS had a decent point of entry into the market - provide a PC like online experience and games.  With handhelds they would really have nothing to differentiate.  Vita will support that and already has a CoD coming.  Sure MS could compete but pretty much all their hardware ventures, where they haven't had a clear point of differentiation (and a bit of luck with timing) have failed.  Xbox succeded due to timing and having just the right features at the right time to capture a huge chunk of the US market.  I doubt MS would manage that with a handheld at this point in time.