I agree the lack of commitment is weird. Microsoft stuck to Bing for a long time before it now having a shot of becoming something relevant to MS’ bottom line (i.e. > 1% of MS revenue)
With Bing it feels like those large tech companies want to keep money-losing projects to keep their competition "in-check". Bing vs Google, Chromebook vs Windows, Google Shopping vs Amazon, etc.
There may be various reasons for that, I heard different opinions. It seems that it's just a part of the "chess" game between those companies.
Bing has generally made money for Microsoft. Search is just so valuable -- look at Google and how it built a whole conglomerate of loss leaders around it.
Did the same for Xbox as well: that was lossmaking for years, if I remember correctly. And yet now, and for a long time, they've had a very successful business. One thing I'll say for Microsoft: they really know how to commit. Doesn't always work of course (Windows Mobile, for example), but a lot of their more successful bets have been very long plays.
It feels like some projects are considered strategically important (Waymo comes to mind) while others are kind of allowed to sink or swim. It also seems like these companies acquire a lot of businesses that realistically will never hit the desired metrics in the limited time period they are given?
