04.17.12
Apple and Microsoft Are Losing Share to Google
Summary: Bits and pieces from the news about phones and office suites
THE duopoly from the West Coast has met Linux and it doesn’t like what it’s seeing.
Android makes the hypePhone less desirable and analysts notice this. “Walter Piecyk, an analyst with BTIG Research, issued a rare downgrade on shares of Apple Inc. on Monday,” says a pro-Apple site, “moving his recommendation from “Buy” to “Neutral.” In a research note to clients, Mr. Piecyk said that changes to aggressive carrier subsidy policies will result in fewer smartphone upgrades. He also expressed doubt about Apple’s ability to wrangle US$600 per iPhone in emerging markets where carrier subsidies are few and far between.”
Microsoft itself is deep in the gutter of mobile platforms, as a matter of course.
Microsoft has been relying on people buying a computer with Windows or OS X on it, then paying for a copy of the cash cow, Microsoft Office. Now that more people move into mobile computing (and off Windows) this cash cow is in danger. Even Microsoft-affiliated publications like Slate dare to call for the death of Office (or Word). The crux of the argument:
Nowadays, I get the same feeling of dread when I open an email to see a Microsoft Word document attached. Time and effort are about to be wasted cleaning up someone’s archaic habits. A Word file is the story-fax of the early 21st century: cumbersome, inefficient, and a relic of obsolete assumptions about technology. It’s time to give up on Word.
People prefer to be given URLs to access work through. This is why Microsoft plays catchup with Office 360 (5 days downtime).
Cash cows like Office and iPhone are losing share to Google, so it’s no wonder that the duopolists attack Google together. █
Michael said,
April 17, 2012 at 5:50 pm
What! Competition might make Apple reduce prices! Cheap knock-off products might reduce their share!
Wow… glad I read this hear… I had no idea!
mcinsand said,
April 17, 2012 at 9:15 pm
Awwww… Poor Apple and MS. Now that they actually have to compete based on performance, rather than baseless patents, they aren’t doing so well. Ah, well, couldn’t happen to a more deserving pair of companies.
Michael Reply:
April 17th, 2012 at 9:31 pm
Huh? Poor Apple, having to compete as they always have? Um, they compete very, very well… making more money than any other tech company and making products that satisfy customers more highly than any other company (at least based on most surveys). Yeah, poor Apple indeed! LOL!
walterbyrd Reply:
April 18th, 2012 at 9:50 am
Michael, I think you missed the point.
Yes, Apple is doing very well. But that has stopped Apple from playing the victim, when if fact, Apple is the predaotr.
I think that is the reason for the sarcasm about “poor Apple.”
Michael Reply:
April 18th, 2012 at 10:00 am
I understand your bias about Apple but do not see it as relevant. Remember, not all people accept your cult-like views of Apple.
With that said, as I have used Android *a bit* more, I do not see the devices I have used as crossing the line, at least in general terms, from being inspired by iOS to being a form of plagiarism. I would like to see more support from the Apple “camp” that Android is a plagiarized product. I mean, sure, the pro-iOS Android was very, very different than what Google moved to once they saw the far better iOS – it inspired them and lead to them making a better product. But to me plagiarism is far more than just being inspired by a better product (or feature) from a competitor and using some of the same ideas, it is making something so close to the original that it is, at least at times, hard to tell apart.
With Samsung, I think it is clear they crossed that line – as I have shown repeatedly – but I have *not* seen evidence that strong agains Android itself. Maybe I will do some looking today and see if anyone has made a strong case for that – including screenshots, explanations, and maybe even videos.
With as much attention as this is getting, if nobody has been able to do so yet that leads to reduced faith in Apple’s claims here.
walterbyrd said,
April 18, 2012 at 10:03 am
For the 100th time: charges of “plagiarism” make no sense.
The term is vague, and there is no law against “plagiarism.”
Why not use terms that make sense?
Michael Reply:
April 18th, 2012 at 10:22 am
As you acknowledge, you have repeated yourself 100 times (a figure of speech to be sure, but you have been very repetitive). In most of those cases I have responded and refuted your denials… so I suggest you read those. Not sure why you want to repeat the same pattern over and over:
1) You whine about the term “plagiarism”, speaking in terms of legal usage
2) I explain why that is irrelevant, given the topic here is the moral acts and accusations and not the legalities.
3) You ignore that and return to step 1.
Bottom line: you have admitted you cannot understand what is being discussed – to the point where, above, you claim the concept makes no sense to you.
I do not doubt that. You are clearly lost in the ongoing conversation – you have nothing to add but admissions of your own lack of understanding. I have been patient and explained it to you many times in many ways – refer to that so you can gain some understanding. If that still does not help you do not blame me… perhaps do some external research on the concept of plagiarism or just accept you are not in a position to understand what is being discussed. Hey, there are topics where I admit I get in “over my head”, such as details of quantum mechanics or, frankly, car mechanics. Just not my areas of expertise. You are struggling to understand things here. No shame in that… but please stop repeating yourself and ignoring the responses as if they did not exist.
Thanks!