Microsoft – Adobe partnering plans rumored

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was reported to have visited the offices of Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, ostensibly to discuss strategies to counter Apple's dominance of the smart phone market. However, rumor mills have been speculating that the hour-long meeting discussed more than just that, including possibility of Adobe being acquired by Microsoft.

Most reports in the media centered around Microsoft's interest in Adobe from yesteryears, a period before Apple and Google became giants, which did not progress beyond the pleasantries on account of Microsoft's belief that the Justice Department would not allow an acquisition on account of anti-trust regulations.

Interestingly, Ballmer's visit to Narayen's office comes at a time when he and Ralph de la Vega, President & CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets are scheduled to address a joint press conference in New York to discuss the latest developments for Windows Phone 7, on Monday. The smart phone platform moved to manufacturers in September, and the press conference is being viewed as a step in the run up to the official launch. Microsoft had launched its last phone offering, the Kin, with Verizon Wireless earlier in the year, only to kill the product line within launch despite billions in investment.