Microsoft names new head for Windows Phone Division

Microsoft Windows Phone Division President Andy Lees has been moved to a new role at the software giant to provide the Windows Phone division with a new chief- Terry Myerson, who previously led the engineering work on WP 7 and WP 7.5.

In a memo to employees, Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer also revealed that Mr. Myerson would also shoulder responsibility for Windows Phone development and marketing, along with other business functions.

Mr. Ballmer wrote in the memo that Mr. Lees was shifting to "a new role working for me on a time-critical opportunity focused on driving maximum impact in 2012 with Windows Phone and Windows 8."

But, the Microsoft chief didn't reveal if Mr. Lees and Mr. Myerson would have new job titles. Thus, it is still unclear if the move is a lateral move or a demotion for Mr. Lees.

Mr. Ballmer has shifted the roles of the two of the top Microsoft executives as the Windows Phone Division has lost a considerable share to rival firm Google in the market for mobile operating systems.

Microsoft's share of mobile-phone operating system market slipped from 2.7 per cent in the third quarter of last year to just 1.5 per cent this year. On the other hand, Google enjoyed a drastic jump in its share from merely 25 per cent to 53 per cent in the same period.