At Microsoft’s earning call yesterday, it was revealed that "the number of Windows 10 monthly active devices are up double digits year-over-year, across commercial, consumer, and education". Which isn't surprising, given the current worldwide pandemic and the increase in people wanting to do serious things on computers at home rather then relying on work-supplied IT. What was curious, though, was a quote from Satya Nadella during the call.

He said (according to the transcript) in answer to a journalist question:

So, maybe I can start, Amy, and then you can add to it. If anything, again, the last nine months or so have proven that when it comes to Windows and PCs, they become mission-critical because when it comes to remote learning, remote work and any type of activity and productivity, in particular, depends on having PCs and applications on PCs. So, we are doubling down on it.

That means, the innovation in Windows, and Microsoft 365 is the best way to conceptualize how we even think about Windows because it’s one surface area where we want to deliver our best payloads for productivity, communications, collaboration, business process. And we’ll keep working even on the form function innovation as well. So, even if you look at the holiday lineup of devices, it’s great to see that, large screens, small screens, mobile, different chip architectures that make it pretty attractive to have a Windows device with you always. So, that’s how we look at it. It’s very important. I think, if anything, even mobile-only countries and mobile-only scenarios are recognizing that they also can do with some help with additional screens. And so, that’s something that we look forward to.

So, err... "innovation... is the best way to conceptualize... to deliver our best payloads for productivity, communications, collaboration, business process..." Yada yada, typical Nadella generalised gobbledook, if I'm honest.

What's curious is the transcript phrase in bold above. 'Mobile' is mentioned in direct context of having 'a Windows device with you always'. No, I don't think this means that Windows 10 Mobile is coming back. Or that Surface Duo is going to get re-imagined with Windows 10X. Tempting though it is to hope for either of these, direct from the horse's mouth, I suspect that Nadella was talking about Surface Duo but referring to Microsoft apps and services on it. So, essentially, he should have said 'make it pretty attractive to have a Windows or Microsoft-centric device with you always.' 

But hey, it was only in a Zoom call, Nadella's words were unfiltered and hadn't been approved or checked. And in other news, the Surface Duo is still USA-only and there's no sign of AAWP getting a sniff of it...!