• by Gavin O'Malley , Staff Writer @mp_gavin, November 13, 2012

Windows chief Steven Sinofsky -- who some assumed would one day replace Steve Ballmer as head of Microsoft -- is out. “Two weeks after Apple's stunning management shakeup, Microsoft has announced a shocker of its own,” writes CNNMoney.com.

“His departure was a mutual decision,” reports The New York Times’ Bits blog, citing sources. Yet, “the departure raises questions about how Microsoft … will prepare itself for a new generation of leadership.”

“Critically, Sinofsky was not ousted because of any issues with the launch of Windows 8 or the Surface,” The Verge reports, citing its own sources.

Then, what led to the divorce? Well, despite Sinofsky’s many strengths, “He was also criticized as someone who didn’t bring people together in a company that desperately needs to bring a unified approach to its technology,” Wired writes.

“The big knock on Sinofsky was his often-prickly nature,” Bloomberg Businessweek seconds. “That approach doesn’t go over well at today’s Microsoft, which needs to prove that Windows is just one piece of a larger collective.”

According to another theory, “Sinofsky felt that he deserved to be Microsoft's next CEO, and wanted to be designated as Steve Ballmer's successor after Windows 8 shipped,” one source tells Business Insider. “He threatened to quit if he didn't get the nod. Ballmer … called his bluff.”

Julie Larson-Green, Sinofsky's top lieutenant, is being handed control of Microsoft’s Windows division.

Under Larson-Green’s leadership, ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley doesn’t expect any kind of change in short-term Windows product strategy.

“It's also worth noting that the timing of the Sinofsky departure announcement isn't as unusual or alarming as some are claiming,” Foley adds. “Windows 8 engineering is finished; the product is now in the hands of the marketers, deployers and licensors.”