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Posted on 08/26/2009 10:20:19 AM PDT by Star Traveler
The iPhone & Steve Ballmer: It’s Time For Him To Eat Some Serious Crow
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
There are very few people in the tech world who annoy me quite like Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft. It’s not just that he’s loud, dismissive and arrogant. It’s that he manages to be all these things while usually being spectacularly wrong, especially when it comes to Apple. Take for example his thoughts on the iPhone from a USAToday article in 2007:
“There’s no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance,” said Ballmer. “It’s a $500 subsidized item. They may make a lot of money. But if you actually take a look at the 1.3 billion phones that get sold, I’d prefer to have our software in 60% or 70% or 80% of them, than I would to have 2% or 3%, which is what Apple might get.”
As you might imagine, I experienced a moment of pure schadenfreude last week when Canalysis senior analyst Pete Cunningham announced that not only did the iPhone have 13.7% of the global smartphone market, but that it had surpassed Windows Mobile devices which had slipped to only 9%. Even worse for Microsoft is the fact that in the last 2 years, Apple has sold more iPhones than all the Windows Mobile devices from all its vendors combined.
I can only imagine that somewhere in Redmond, behind a very heavy door…Steve Ballmer is throwing a good old-fashioned hissy fit, cursing Apple, sweating profusely and gnawing on the furniture.
The fact is that Microsoft has never truly understood Apple and that confusion has grown in part out of their unparalleled success with Windows. With Windows, Microsoft found a superior product in the Macintosh OS, produced a cheaper knock-off and then created a large ecosystem of partners for wide distribution and support. The result was global domination. Unfortunately, cheaper and more plentiful doesn’t automatically win in every situation. As computers sink into every facet of daily life and the costs of consumer technology continue to drop, more and more value is being placed on finding products which are easier, more capable or simple more enjoyable to use.
Microsoft was unable to stop the runaway success of the iPod and it’s looking more and more unlikely that they’ll be able to contain the growth of the iPhone either. Why? Because they cannot fathom a formula for success that isn’t a function of feature set divided by price. It’s how they think and it’s also how they ultimately view the products they compete against. No wonder Ballmer spends so much time shouting at the rain. From his perspective, anyone who willingly pays more for the same features is a brainwashed idiot. What he doesn’t understand is that the experience of a product is more than the sum of its component parts. It’s how the device works, how it feels and even more elusively, how it makes you feel. Can you think of a Microsoft product that is truly a joy to use? I don’t mean one that works well, because many of their products work well enough. I mean one that is a joy to use. Neither can I. That’s because Microsoft isn’t in the joy business. They’re in the “nearly as good for less” business and that isn’t an appeal to the heart. It’s an appeal to the wallet.
So Mr. Ballmer, here’s some friendly advice. The next time you feel yourself ready to mouth off about how Apple is doomed to fail because it doesn’t understand the realities of the marketplace, take a moment and think about Windows Vista and the fact that roughly 50% of Apple Store customers are new to the Mac. Think about sales figures for the Zune as compared to the iPod. Think about the millions of people ditching their Windows Mobile devices for an iPhone. Think about the $35 Billion that a zero-debt Apple has sitting in the bank and all the money it continues to make made through this harsh economic downturn. Then if you’re still confident that you’re the smart one and Apple is the delusional one, then by all means have your say.
Just understand that with your miserable track record in predicting Apple’s future, there’s an excellent chance that you’ll end up eating your own words. Better make sure they’re palatable.
I like seeing Steve Ballmer at a Developers Conference... LOL...
Steve Ballmer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMU0tzLwhbE
See Steve Ballmer’s “marketing strategy” outlined, by the man himself... :-)
Jobs (Apple) and Ballmer (Microsoft) speak...
Steve Jobs and Steve Ballmer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR8SAFRBmcU
“The only problem with Microsoft is that they have no taste. They have absolutely no taste!” [Steve Jobs]
“They [Microsoft] don’t think of original ideas and they don’t bring much culture into their product.” [Steve Jobs]
“I have a problem with the fact that they [Microsoft] make really third-rate products.” [Steve Jobs]
“I will admit, quite frankly, that I think Windows, today, is probably four years, behind — three years behind, where it would have been had we not danced with IBM for so long.” [Steve Ballmer]
Even Microsoft now admits...
“APPLE HAS CHANGED THE WAY THE GAME IS PLAYED”, says MSFT Win Mob chief
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2320869/posts
Free MSM drooling over the iPhone helped sell many, many units.
Well..., Apple can always listen to Microsoft, Blackberry and Android app stores and *charge more money* — like they say... LOL...
Apple’s 99-Cent Apps Are Too Cheap, Microsoft Says
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2320618/posts
But, before one considers doing that, you might want to find out why Microsoft employees dump their Zunes... :-)
Letters from Microsoft: An Employee Tosses His Zune
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2319063/posts
See I like the Zune better than the Ipod. I actually hate the Ipod, but it has all the aftermarket crap that I need, plus I have an Ipod alarm clock and an IPod enabled stereo system. I must be a true moron.
What about the iPhone changed paradigms?
What does game-changing applications ecosystem mean?
Agreed.
I prefer PCs, but the iPhone is amazing.
I bought my wife one and would get one for myself if I wasn’t required to carry a Blackberry through Sprint.
That said, I’d place more stock in the article if it didn’t come from a Mac site. Mac cultists are rarely objective.
Put up or shut up....what groundbreaking functionality did the iPhone bring that was not present already?
The 3GS had a virtual compass and it was hailed as miraculous.....even though most other platforms offer it.
Don't get me wrong....the interface is slick and functions better than any other out there currently. The package is stylish and trim. It is a nice appliance, but it is not worthy of the foaming at the mouth witnessed in the MSM every time a new iteration is released.
What I don't understand is the need to watch a movie on a little 2”-3” screen that you paid money to download onto your phone, zune, ipod, etc...
My company uses AT&T Palms, which are ok for some stuff, but the stylus pen is an annoying pain in the a#$.
You said — That said, I’d place more stock in the article if it didn’t come from a Mac site. Mac cultists are rarely objective.
—
The interesting thing about that is that these so-called “Mac cultists” that you’re referring to — are being eclipsed by a *very large influx* of former PC/Microsoft users... hoo-boy!
Now, does that make them new Mac cultists or what? LOL...
The stats at the Apple Retail Stores show that 50% or more of the sales of Macintosh computers are going to people who have never owned them before. AND..., by *far* the owners of iPhones are way past the numbers (overwhelming percentages) of former Macintosh/Apple product-users...
And, in fact, the overwhelming numbers of iPod users are way past the numbers of former Macintosh computer users.
The fact of the matter is that these so-called “Mac cultists” (as you’re referring to them) are far outnumbered by the PC/Windows owners, who are now making their moves over to the Macintosh world of computers and other devices.
I think they’ve discovered that Apple makes a better product... :-)
—
And you can look on this thread to see Free Republic members who have, themselves gotten out of the PC/Windows world over to Macintosh...
Parallels to make switching to the Mac easier, safe and painless
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2324524/posts
You said — What I don’t understand is the need to watch a movie on a little 2”-3” screen that you paid money to download onto your phone, zune, ipod, etc...
—
If you’ve sat in a doctor’s office or a dentist’s office, waiting (or waiting for someone else who is there, and not you), then it’s quite a benefit... as those old magazines get kinda boring after a while... LOL...
But, what I do is keep certain documentaries and/or other news and/or radio broadcasts or podcasts there and ready, for when I have some time I have to kill and can’t do anything else — and so it comes in very handy for those moments.
—
AND..., on my iPod (and I think also on the iPhone, pretty sure...) I can keep a copy of certain things and show them on other people’s TV sets in their home, if the situation comes up.
For example, there’s one that has to do with “Anthropogenic Global Warming” and I’ve got the whole thing there. All it takes is plugging it into the TV set and we’ve got some good information on the false theory of Global Warming, compliments my iPod (or the iPhone)... :-)
See the following for the item that I can “carry around” and show on any TV set...
Global cooling/global waming: The sun and the missing data
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2321722/posts?page=5#5
AdMob released their mobile metrics report for June and Android usage continues to grow.
Request from the Android operating system grew 25% month over month. This now gives Android a 5% worldwide OS share and marks the first time they have pulled ahead of Windows Mobile.
When you narrow the reporting to only the US, Android has an even larger share of the smartphone market. In the states, Android has grown to a 9% share and closing in on Blackberry who enjoys a 14% share. With the wave of new Android devices coming this holidays, I expect Android to surpass Blackberry by the end of the year.
Also noted in the report is the share of requests by operator and manufacturer. Nearly half of the requests from T-Mobile are with HTC. This tells me the G1 has been a huge success for T-Mobile and finally given them a product to promote their expanding 3G network. The pending launch of the myTouch 3G should only increase HTC’s share of smartphone traffic with T-Mobile.
In the United Kingdom, Android requests are now at 7% which is more than Windows Mobile and Blackberry combined. These numbers match the traffic on my site and show that the UK is the second biggest country to support Android. I expect these numbers to grow as well with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy and HTC Hero.
I have an application that will decode and convert (almost) any DVD into iPhone, DiVX or Blackberry compatible video. Haven’t bought a thing on-line, and you’d be amazed at how it quiets down the kids on a long car ride when the DVD player is broken.
It’s really easy to turn your ship when it’s a rowboat.
Market share speaks for itself.
How long has Mac had to close the gap, and they’re still struggling?
The market is already speaking for itself and the PC continues to win.
I like some features of the Mac, but taking an intentionally skewed view of statistics really fits the definition of a “cultist”.
When Mac really starts closing in on the PC market, I’ll be concerned. Until then, I’ll stick with what they reallly make best - iPods and iPhones.
You said — How long has Mac had to close the gap, and they’re still struggling?
—
LOL... that’s funny on the “still struggling” part...
It’s difficult to take the “still struggling” part seriously when a company is as wildly successful as Apple is with their products...
“what groundbreaking functionality did the iPhone bring that was not present already?”
Hey iPhone has Cut and Paste... Oh wait that wasn’t until version 3.0. My Blackberry 7290 had that 5 years ago.
Hey iPhone can play music... Oh wait my Blackberry Curve can do that using a similar interface from Miutunes and my 16 gig SDHC Micro SD card.
Hey the iPhone can link up to Exchange for corporate email... Well some of the time. Requires lots of configuration... Drains the battery if you push too often... Is not secure... and frequently blows its brains out and requires setting it up again. My Blackberry rusn for three days on a charge. I get Email on my Blackberry before it pops in to my desktop Outlook.
Hey the iPhone has a built in camera... Yeah so does my Blackberry - 3.2 megapixels
Hey the iPhone has a video camera... Yep ditto my Blackberry
Hey the iPhone has GPS... Yep dito my Blackberry curve. GPS with turn by turn nav.
Hey the iPhone can connect to Wifi... Ditto my Blackberry Curve.
Hey the iPhone has an iFart app so you can make farting noises... Okay you got me there. No farting app for the Blackberry.
Different devices for different people. My company will provide you with either an iPhone or Blackberry your choice. 16 people carry Blackberries and 2 people carry iPhones. The one’s that carry iPhone spend and inordinate amount of time buying with and playing with applications and they have 10 times the trouble tickets that Blackberries have.
As far as Microsoft... Microsoft makes a smart phone???
You said — As far as Microsoft... Microsoft makes a smart phone???
—
Ummm..., that’s the trouble... Microsoft doesn’t know how to “make” anything... LOL...
From the point of view of a run-of-the-mill user, I have absolutely no idea if the iPhone has more functionality or a better applications ecosystem. All I know is that the thing is beautiful and it is a joy to use. I have all the apps I could ask for, and it doesn’t cost me that much more than using a phone that would torture me every time I fired it up.
My daughter has a Microsoft Mobile phone, and it almost causes me physical pain when I have to use the damn thing.
One may be “better” than the other, but I will stick with the one that gives me joy instead of pain.
Are Macs really positioned to take over the whole market? Being aimed at the high end puts a limit on how much of the market you can take over. They are a legitimate player in the high end though which is really the only area they play in. A company doesn’t have to dominate the market to be meeting its goals.
You said — One may be “better” than the other, but I will stick with the one that gives me joy instead of pain.
—
That’s where Apple understands the consumer better than most any other company around...
You said — At least Microsoft/Gates won’t have to loan them another $100 million.
—
LOL... that was a settlement agreement on Microsoft and Intel stealing code from Apple (had to do with QuickTime code). That’s how they ended up settling the whole thing. I also understand that Microsoft had to pay out a lot of money “behind the scenes” on that one... :-)
Oh... and by the way, that was stock that Microsoft purchased... I understand that when Microsoft sold the stock they made a lot of money because of how successful Apple has been... :-)
I know.
At least Microsoft’s use of Apple code allowed Apple to keep the doors open. Shame Apple couldn’t turn a profit on its own product.
Maybe Apple should countract Microsoft for other revenue projects as well?
Microsoft settlement money (for stealing code from Apple) was gravy on the success... :-) Steve Jobs was the key and always has been. Now it appears that Apple has learned quite a bit from Steve Jobs and will be around for quite a long time.
Actually, Apple has been around, already for quite a long time, considering that even IBM isn’t making their desktops any longer (the one they started out with in 1981). Heck! Apple was doing that before IBM, and they’re still doing it now — long after IBM conceded defeat and got out of this business segment... LOL...
Doesn’t Apple still make most of its money from Mac sales?
I think most people will tell you that so far Steve Jobs has been the key ingredient to success for Apple. Hopefully going forward that won’t be the case, but it has been in the past. His return signaled a definite change in their fortunes.
siiigghhhh
Jeez...give me a break....how long ago was that?
Making excuses as they always do!
Mr. Blonde, you said to SJSAMPLE — “Doesn’t Apple still make most of its money from Mac sales?”
—
I’ve seen Swordmaker post the stats on that. And yes, I believe that’s what I saw in those stats. It’s still the majority of the money made from Macintosh sales, and has been all along.
But, who knows... perhaps in the future there will be a “whole barnload” of products that will be making money for Apple, besides just the Macintosh computers... :-)
Most of their revenue, but not their profit, IIRC.
The iPods kept them afloat and the iPhone has re-energized sales and interest.
I really admire their design staff on these products.
The interfaces are what make them work, and they’re a generation ahead of anybody else.
Silly fanboi article. Wonder if this is at all news.
You said — Making excuses as they always do!
—
One major thing, also, that a lot of people don’t talk too much about today — Microsoft *missed the Internet* completely and had to play a big catchup game there... LOL...
You said — Most of their revenue, but not their profit, IIRC.
The iPods kept them afloat and the iPhone has re-energized sales and interest.
—
No, it was the iMac that was the big deal back then. Perhaps a lot of people forget about that, in light of the current success of the iPods and iPhones. But, back then, it was the — iMac — that did the “heavy lifting”... and did it well. [there was no iPod in 1998...]
Along with that was the Mac OS X that was very important and is a great success story today. It’s Mac OS X that is running the iPhone...
The MSM drooled over the iPhone because it was something worth drooling over.
Microsoft failed with Vista because (like Kodak and Motorola and Smith Corona) the companies lost sight of who their real customers were. Kodak decided their customers were retail stores, who used film-oriented products to bring their customers into the stores several times (buy film, drop off film, buy prints) - forgetting it was the people taking pictures who were the real customers, and who decided they wanted digital photography instead. Motorola decided their customer were cellular services, who use phones to entice customers to switch or stay (cheap/free phone with any 2-year lock-in) - forgetting it was the people making calls who are the real customers, and who are tired of getting “crippled” phones labeled “Motorola”. Smith Corona decided their customers were stockholders, who wanted stock value maintained at all costs (despite the technology’s relative but not complete demise) - forgetting there ARE people who want typewriters and not pathetic computer-wannabes. And ... Microsoft decided their customers are content services, who see the PC & OS as a controllable conduit for movies & music (wanting end-to-end DRM) - forgetting that it is the people actually watching movies and listening to music who are the real customers, and don’t want degraded performance just because of a break in the DRM chain.
Apple KNOWS their customers are the people who actually make phone calls, surf the web on the run, listen to music, watch pocket-sized movies, take pictures, and want a new platform to run their digital lives on - people who DON’T want their digital-life experience degraded by some company’s grubby fingers. And so, Apple created exactly what people want - not what they say they want (a la Ford’s “faster horse” theory), but what they WILL want when they are shown the next generation of the technology, and will adhere to when it works for them.
As such, a new phone/musicplayer/videoplayer/camera/browser/etc. garnered lots of free MSM drooling precisely because it was what the people want, and what they would pick up MSM content to read/see/hear about because they wanted it so badly even if it was experienced by proxy. This in contrast to other similar devices, which merely put those technologies in the same box while trying to sell it to someone (cellular services, music services, movie services, retailers) other than the actual user.
I wouldn’t have an I phone if they paid me to have it!
You said — Silly fanboi article. Wonder if this is at all news.
—
It’s news when you see all the people switching over to Macintosh from the PC/Windows platform. See even these Free Republic members switching over...
Parallels to make switching to the Mac easier, safe and painless
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2324524/posts
And also when you see Microsoft saying this now...
“APPLE HAS CHANGED THE WAY THE GAME IS PLAYED”, says MSFT Win Mob chief
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2320869/posts
And then, when you see Microsoft employees throwing away their Zunes... LOL..
Letters from Microsoft: An Employee Tosses His Zune
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2319063/posts
That's funny. I was doing all those things on multiple smartphones long before the first iPhone.
I guess I just didn't drink the Apple memory-erasing, history-altering kool-aid.
Well, there are always a few who are “left behind”... :-)
There isn’t a damn thing on an i phone or a blackberry that I would have under ant condition.
You said — I guess I just didn’t drink the Apple memory-erasing, history-altering kool-aid.
—
Well, the average consumer (of which there are lots and lots out there... :-) ...) — does *get it* ...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2324964/posts?page=23#23
Well, I hope you don’t have trouble back there in the dust, then... :-)
Go into comedy because you are hilarious!
Apple's policies on what software you can have on your iPhone is really not a company degrading your experience, is it?.
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