Why Steve Ballmer failed

The less-cynical might point to all of the numbers and positives that happened at Microsoft during Steve Ballmer’s stay as CEO, but the reality is that he missed the boat on many occasions. Here’s why:

Apple released the first iPhone in 2007. Microsoft’s Windows Phone didn’t appear until 2010.

That alone should tell you all you need to know about Microsoft’s biggest issue over the last decade: Despite record revenues, the company’s been far too slow to respond to the rise of new product categories. And Steve Ballmer is taking some responsibility for that: He was too slow.