How long until Apple is bigger than Microsoft?

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Fenixgoon

Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
33,275
12,838
136
never. apple cannot continue its closed system approach to computers and obtain a significant marketshare at the same time, IMO. windows is so big because it's open to developers on both the hardware and software ends.

edit: also note that much of apple's profits come from the ipod, itunes, and related items. not necessarily computer marketshare.

in terms of profits and revenue, apple might eclipse MS, but not in terms of PC marketshare.
 
Ns1

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,420
1,600
126
Well considering the cheapest apple laptop is still 9 bills, I say never.
 
preslove

preslove

Lifer
Sep 10, 2003
16,754
64
91
Apple will never have a larger market presence than Microsoft in the personal computer market, but could probably surpass Microsoft in total size after it makes gains in the cell phone market.

Apple is a consumer electronics company, nowadays.
 
S

Strk

Lifer
Nov 23, 2003
10,197
4
76
Apple would just get sued indefinitely like Microsoft did when it tried the same thing. I always got a kick out of those Apple commercials talking about how they don't have all that extra fluff. If it wasn't for companies like Real or Netscape, neither would PCs. I'm not all for monopolies, but it's just a load of crap what Apple spouts.
 
0roo0roo

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,795
84
91
apple would have to cheapen itself and defeat the purpose of mac to do this. so its really impossible.
 
Kaido

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
51,462
7,208
136
As an Apple fanboy, never. Bill Gates won because he embedded his system into the universe. EVERYONE grew up on Windows. EVERYONE knows how to use Windows. Countless businesses rely on Windows-only apps, servers, and desktop systems. It's too ingrained in our tech culture to change. Won't happen, ever.
 
Paladin3

Paladin3

Diamond Member
Mar 5, 2004
4,933
878
126
I like how the blogger used his numbers and compared revenue from Apple vs. revenue from Microsoft. Since Apple is a closed system they control the entire apple market. Microsoft doesn't control the entire PC market (directly).

If I build a new PC I only have to pay MS for the OS. If I buy an Apple I can't build it myself at all, I have to bend over and let Apple have their way with both me and my wallet.
 
vi edit

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
126
Apple had it's hayday in the decade of frivilous spending and everyone trying to one-up each other with a fancy laptop or tricked out portable music device.

Over 200,000 jobs have been lost this month alone. Ipods and high priced computers/laptops are not going to be high priority items for people for quite some time.

Meanwhile, MS still has their OS on nearly every $300 Dell desktop that rolls out the door, on tens of thousands of servers that are still being bought or replaced, plus they still have office products, application servers like mail and SQL.

MS has seen their contraction in profits as the PC industry kept cost cutting.

Apple's is coming due. And they aren't as recession proof as MS.
 
NL5

NL5

Diamond Member
Apr 28, 2003
3,286
12
81
Apple will probably take them over in the next few years. Microsoft is losing ground to open source, and apple is becoming an electronics company.......
 
C

clarkey01

Diamond Member
Feb 4, 2004
3,419
1
0
Originally posted by: NL5
Apple will probably take them over in the next few years. Microsoft is losing ground to open source, and apple is becoming an electronics company.......
Click to expand...

What makes you say that
 
Kaido

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
51,462
7,208
136
Although, I would have to say Apple has a fair chance of getting a lot of NEW users with a price drop. They did it with the iPhone - they introduced it at $600, got the market talking, and a year later chopped the price to $199 and made it more awesome. Suddenly it's affordable and attractive to everyone - 3D, GPS, flush headphone jack, etc. Right now their hardware prices are ridiculous - $1300 for a 13" laptop, $2000 for a 15" laptop? One of these days they may come out and drop the prices and snag the market, just like the iPhone - get the market talking, then BOOM gobble it up. If they sold Mac Minis for $299 and Macbook Airs for $799, I think pretty much everyone buyng a new computer (consumer-wise) would own a Mac. Those two machines fill most consumer needs, i.e. Word, Internet, E-Mail.

Now Apple just needs to buy VMware Fusion or Parallels and integrate it with OS X - they already offer free data transfer when you buy a new Mac, so why not directly into a VM so you can keep all your files intact? Throw in a free copy of Office for Mac and slash the prices and everyone is happy :)
 
0roo0roo

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,795
84
91
Originally posted by: vi edit
Apple had it's hayday in the decade of frivilous spending and everyone trying to one-up each other with a fancy laptop or tricked out portable music device.

Over 200,000 jobs have been lost this month alone. Ipods and high priced computers/laptops are not going to be high priority items for people for quite some time.

Meanwhile, MS still has their OS on nearly every $300 Dell desktop that rolls out the door, on tens of thousands of servers that are still being bought or replaced, plus they still have office products, application servers like mail and SQL.

MS has seen their contraction in profits as the PC industry kept cost cutting.

Apple's is coming due. And they aren't as recession proof as MS.
Click to expand...

macs and ipods are small luxuries that can make it through recession. big spending like vacations abroad are the type of spending that are at risk. instead of a trip to london, an ipod:p people still reward themselves. and if you were barely hanging on before this well you were never going to be a reliable apple customer anyways.

remember the ipod came out a month after 9/11.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN0SVBCJqLs
 
C

CrazyLazy

Platinum Member
Jun 21, 2008
2,124
1
0
Impossible, Apple can never take the majority of the market because they will have no one to be smug assholes to except themselves. They will be destroyed from within.
 
TridenT

TridenT

Lifer
Sep 4, 2006
16,800
45
91
Will never happen, we all know it.

Microsoft will always dominate the market unless they decide to not make another OS after Windows 7.
 
S

sonambulo

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2004
4,777
1
0
Unless Stevie's got something unbelievable up his sleeve to unveil in the next few years, never. When he leaves the company it will gradually lose its soul and its mind and market share will erode.
 
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