| rocketpig said: Microsoft has been "just around the corner" from really getting rolling in the mobile market for about ten years now. You can bank on Win 8/ Phone 8 finally getting them there but I see it as more of too little, too late. It's just more of the same. I think they'll do well enough for themselves and they'll carve out a small corner of the market but they can't keep losing in new markets and expect me to keep caring about their products. Outside of the Xbox, they haven't made a splash in a new market in 15 years. And Win7 is hardly "unchallenged". One of Microsoft's biggest problems is that they can't get people to upgrade to the damned thing. Ten years ago, Apple had about 4% of the market. Now, they're responsible for 12-13% of computer sales (not including iPad). Linux, while still just a small nuisance, holds more market than it did ten years ago (and it dominates server space). And that's not even including the incursions from the phone/tablet market that will continue to eat into traditional computer sales. Microsoft needs to completely re-think what it's doing because it is slowly moving into irrelevance, much like IBM. It won't be next year, it won't even be ten years from now. But in 20 or 30 years, they could be another case of "hey, remember those guys, where are they now?" |
First of all, Microsoft had lots of success in the mobile space. Infact they were number one in marketshare in 2006, 2007 and second to RIM in 2008. So this 10 year statement of waiting to something to happen is a little uneducated and ignorant...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Mobile#Market_share
Apple did come along with the iPhone out of nowhere and introduced the idea of an ecosystem which changed the mobile game. Sure, it took microsoft a bit too long to react but they have a sound strategy to build an ecosystem using windows phone, Windows 8 and xbox which has a very good chance of surpassing iOS down the road.
I agree that they took too long to counter the iPhone, but the bottom line is that this was the right thing to do for Microsoft. Just look at Googles situation... They have completely lost control of the Android ecosystem. Amazon Kindle Fire is going o be the best selling Android tablet an it doesn't have a single Google service on it... Sure Android is very successful at getting out there and on devices, but the revenue and growth opportunity for Google isn't reflective of that. If microsoft ever got to Android like marketshare with windows phone, it would be bringing Windows desktop like revenue with it, while ensuring that the experience is great for every device and keeping consumers happy. This sounds like the right strategy to me, even if it fails.
Finally I have no clue where you're getting your Apple/Linux desktop marketshare. My guess is that you're looking at US sales only. Worldwide, Linux, MAc OSX and everyone else combuned are at around 10% while Microsoft is hovering at 90%.
http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/15/windows-7-overtakes-xp-globally-vista-found-weeping-in-a-corner/
As a totally respectable suggestion, I would suggest for you to look up the strengths of Microsoft in 2012 and see where they are as a company. Things like software development tools, cloud services, Microsoft Exchange and Office...hell even Bing, which along with Yahoos chunk is toying with 30% search marketshare, have been huge success stories for Microsoft. And this is all in the last 5 years ...
If they keep going like they are, I don't see them being on a "where are the now" episode in the next 10 years at all. :)
