Research divisions exist for recruitment purposes. Sometimes it's just a bait and switch, being promised "R&D" and then getting interviewed for Google Play Store once someone realizes you're not qualified enough. Other times, you work on research for six months, and then there's this team at the company that needs work from you for two years.

Ask the former MSR executive, who fixed the accounting of their losses by pointing out how people at MSR were working on regular MS commercial products too.