And some other company would have bought up the code/rights/windows team anyway.
But the broader point is that MS won't go bankrupt until some time after windows/Ms is no longer broadly used.
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Will apple ever have larger market share than microsoft?
- Thread starter yettimillan
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And some other company would have bought up the code/rights/windows team anyway.
But the broader point is that MS won't go bankrupt until some time after windows/Ms is no longer broadly used.
Both companies operate mostly in different markets.
Apple is far ahead in desktop, laptop and even server sales. Microsoft doesn't sell anything in these markets.
Microsoft is far ahead in operating system, general productivity software, and email-related software.
Apple is far ahead in music player and phone hardware. Microsoft is far ahead in high-end game consoles, while Apple has sold a shedload of low-end portable gaming devices.
Apple has just recently overtaken Microsoft in the mobile devices software market. Ouch, that hurts.
So you could ask two questions: Will Apple overtake Microsoft in revenue or profit? Could be, give it a few years. Will Apple overtake Microsoft in the one market where Microsoft has its biggest strength? Not for a long time.
Look at the profits Microsoft drag in, then look at the profits Apple drag in, then tell me as an American corporation which you would prefer
If Apple's technology is so great, then why can't they develop enough drivers to run on a PC (generic)?
If their Hardware is so great along with their OS, then why are they so afraid to release a PC version? If the hardware was so much better by itself, people that wanted to pay the extra money, still would? Wouldn't they?
If they did release the OS, then maybe they would have a chance of overtaking Microsoft's stronghold.
If their Hardware is so great along with their OS, then why are they so afraid to release a PC version? If the hardware was so much better by itself, people that wanted to pay the extra money, still would? Wouldn't they?
If they did release the OS, then maybe they would have a chance of overtaking Microsoft's stronghold.
Because they make most of their money off of hardware sales.
Microsoft is so dominant due to the fact that there has never been a serious competitor for them. OS X is only available for Macs. Linux doesn't have a huge company behind it and is only marketed by nerds.
The next big advance are portable media devices (iPod's, iPhones, Blackberry's, etc.)
That's a bunch of horse manure. Hackintosh's with similar specs run perfectly fine.
tl;dr
only way that Apple would have a larger share then Microsoft is if Apple released OS X for PC's and made the appropiate drivers, or If Microsoft keeps putting out more Operating systems like Vista/ Windows 7. If Apple were to drop all their products prices (computers, not accesories) by about $300, they would have a pretty good growth
only way that Apple would have a larger share then Microsoft is if Apple released OS X for PC's and made the appropiate drivers, or If Microsoft keeps putting out more Operating systems like Vista/ Windows 7. If Apple were to drop all their products prices (computers, not accesories) by about $300, they would have a pretty good growth
its funny that you bring this up OP. even steve jobs himself has said that apple does not target the mass market. he also said that apple would be nothing without microsoft (which is true). they have a great relationship.
You're right MS doesn't make any computers but every PC that's sold MS does make money off that, because they license out the windows.
As some other have said Apple is a hardware company, they make their money on selling there computers, not software. In the last eight years Apple market share has went from around 2% to almost 10% now. IMO if the economy turns around in the next five years OS X will be at 20%.
Microsoft doesn't make money on every, but most of them they do. I don't see Apple's marketshare jumping that much that quick.
If I recall, Microsoft is not having great times with their current revenue streams. Microsoft is much larger corporation and makes a lot of money, Apple is smaller and does fine for themselves.Look at the profits Microsoft drag in, then look at the profits Apple drag in, then tell me as an American corporation which you would prefer
Apple is talking about its products. Microsoft is talking about its sales strategy. Apple talks about how its products work with its competitors' products. Microsoft talks about how they are going to beat a specific competitor by advertising products they don't manufacture or sell (computers).
Microsoft is talking like the underdog. With that sort of mentality, it won't be long before that becomes their public corporate image, and then a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Microsoft is talking like the underdog. With that sort of mentality, it won't be long before that becomes their public corporate image, and then a self-fulfilling prophecy.
You are only talking about US market share. Their worldwide market share is still less than 3.5%.
I can see Apple having a bigger market cap than Microsoft and being a bigger company in the next few years. They already have a better cash position and zero debt.
Increasingly people are using mobile devices for their computing needs. Apple is quite well positioned in this area going forwards, whereas Microsoft still needs to work out how each of thier various parts of the puzzle should come together (Win Mobile, Zune, the Danger team etc.). When this is worked out, I wouldn't rule them out, although the clock is ticking. By then RIM and Apple could have it all pretty much sewn up.
In terms of Desktop market share, no, that market is gone. Apple will keep plugging away and as long as they keep the profitable stake they will be happy. I think they do need to put more time into Mac OS X though to ensure this is the case. I feel from 2001-2004 Apple were driving development far harder than 2004-present.
In terms of server, well Microsoft has some good products here, but it this area is more competitive than the Desktop. Apple, however, is not one of the players.
Increasingly people are using mobile devices for their computing needs. Apple is quite well positioned in this area going forwards, whereas Microsoft still needs to work out how each of thier various parts of the puzzle should come together (Win Mobile, Zune, the Danger team etc.). When this is worked out, I wouldn't rule them out, although the clock is ticking. By then RIM and Apple could have it all pretty much sewn up.
In terms of Desktop market share, no, that market is gone. Apple will keep plugging away and as long as they keep the profitable stake they will be happy. I think they do need to put more time into Mac OS X though to ensure this is the case. I feel from 2001-2004 Apple were driving development far harder than 2004-present.
In terms of server, well Microsoft has some good products here, but it this area is more competitive than the Desktop. Apple, however, is not one of the players.
Market share? No. Jobs has already stated that Microsoft won that war years ago. Thats no longer their objective. They want to build quality hardware and software and makes lots of money doing so.
Apple isnt going to get into the MS sized market share. Microsoft is too well entrenched and Apples business model counters what Microsofts business model is. Simply put, MS is willing to do what businesses demand where as Apple is content doing things their way.
Apple isnt going to get into the MS sized market share. Microsoft is too well entrenched and Apples business model counters what Microsofts business model is. Simply put, MS is willing to do what businesses demand where as Apple is content doing things their way.
Your point? My post was addressing why Apple doesnt sell their OS to other hardware vendors. The reason is because they are a hardware seller themselves. I was not addressing market share in any way shape or form. I was merely stating that given their business model - imitating Microsofts business model doesnt make sense. You are bringing up a different issue. I was talking about business models, not market share.
Your post implies that Apple wants a dominant market position - Jobs has stated that MS won that war years ago and they are not interested in that.
Probably the main reason is that the last time they tried that back in the 90's they almost went bankrupt.
But it wasn't because they licensed their OS. They were in bad financial shape before then. Currently they are in great financial shape and have more than just the Mac as a revenue stream. Since they have iPods and iPhones and possibly new iTablets they have greater flexibility.
I think they should have the balls to license OSX and let "the Mac experience" sell itself. If Apple's hardware truly is superior, and Macs really provide a "smooth integration of software and hardware" then people will still buy Mac because they are worth the extra, right? Or are they afraid to discover that people only buy Macs for OSX and are secretly dying for more powerful/cheaper hardware?
Just poking a hole here...Apple currently advertise a smooth integration of software and hardware because they have full control over how both are used. Release OSX to the world and that argument would be void - the sheer number of possible PC configurations make that impossible. They cant integrate software and hardware if they have no control of what hardware is being used
OSX is a great selling point for its Macs. Release OSX to the PC market and yes, you'd make a decent amount of money selling the operating system, and the market share would rise. But the actual sales of its hardware would fall and Apple would lose money there.
If it were me, and i were running a company like Apple, i'd be much more interested in MAKING MONEY!!! than in looking more impressive on a pie chart
True, but their hardware business makes this business tactic very unwise - you don't enable any more competition than you have to by removing your advantages. OS X is Apple's advantage to sell hardware. They do this because otherwise they can't compete with other pure hardware vendors on their own.
The big reason it was such a failure was because they were trying to compete evenly with a company that was well entrenched and still is. While Microsoft's success can be ruled as a historic marketing fluke (hardware/software systems tend to be sold integrated together - See the video game market), they are too well entrenched to succeed by copying them. The market traditionally does not support that business method without cannibalizing another (in this case Apple hardware) and cometeitng against a behemoth like Microsoft without a competitive advantage (MS has beaten superior companies and solutions before). MS is just too big to attack directly.
Apple may have a better OS/widget, but in the PC hardware market that doesn't matter to people. MS can afford the race to the bottom approach that the PC industry supports because their money comes from other markets. They are not invested in hardware like Apple is. Apple is smart enough to know that MS is not a weakling.
My point is that Microsoft isn't some Godly invulnerable company. I agree what you listed are some strong reasons why they are so dominant, but the main reason they are is because there aren't any serious competitors.
No it doesn't. I never referred to OS X being the one that could challenge Microsoft.