The mobile application development and wireless application development arenas were in for a surprise on Tuesday as Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer made a major announcement. The windows mobile application development community was in for some news as Microsoft’s gaming and devices business was split into two groups as they should have been. This augurs well for the company as the future could see more concentrated and focused efforts being invested towards unleashing newer developments in the windows mobile application development arena.

Ballmer announced that Robbie Balch, the chief of the company’s Entertainment and Devices division was retiring. Balch had in the past overseen Microsoft’s Xbox gaming console business and its smartphone and mobile business. The interesting fact that has the wireless application development industry and community in a tizzy is that instead of replacing Balch, two executives heading the separate divisions would now directly report to Steve Ballmer himself. Andrew Lees, the chief of Microsoft’s Mobile Communications Business (MCB) will now find it easier to take steps to radically modify the Windows Phone Operating system which has been languishing in the background for sometime now. Don Mattrick, leading the gaming division will enjoy similar opportunities.

Ballmer had the foresight to shift Lees to the MCB division to salvage the situation and turn around a failing operation. Sadly, for Microsoft, all other mobile application development majors such as Research in Motion, Apple and Google have gained ground by leaps and bounds and the windows mobile application development scene and the Windows mobile OS needs a major revamp to regain lost ground.