How long until Apple is bigger than Microsoft?

[preslove]

I love how all but 2 or 3 posters have focused solely on the pc market, and not on the markets where apple is growing the most.

Sure, apple will never match microsoft in the pc market, but they have already destroyed them in the mp3 player market and are outgrowing them in the cell phone market, too.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: clarkey01
Believe it ?

I fear the day when I won't be able to choose and build my own system or find myself in the minority. . .

with Mr. RIAA whipping boy as veep, soon it will be hacking and copyright infringement to build a computer out of parts

 

[clarkey01]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: clarkey01
Believe it ?

I fear the day when I won't be able to choose and build my own system or find myself in the minority. . .

with Mr. RIAA whipping boy as veep, soon it will be hacking and copyright infringement to build a computer out of parts

I don't follow ?

 

[Lonyo]

If Apple continue to successfully diversify and have controlled marketplaces (where they do everything, unlike MS in the OS/Phone markets where they supply operating systems, or the music market where they had their own small service and supplied the back-end for other people), then they will almost certainly equal or exceed MS' revenue.
Not a very hard target when you sell a complete system instead of licensing a part of it.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: loki8481
I shudder at the idea of mac servers overrunning my data center.

You mean linux based servers.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: preslove
I love how all but 2 or 3 posters have focused solely on the pc market, and not on the markets where apple is growing the most.

Sure, apple will never match microsoft in the pc market, but they have already destroyed them in the mp3 player market and are outgrowing them in the cell phone market, too.

Money in the cell phone industry is in the service plans and jacking people $.10 a pop for text messges. Not in hardware for long term growth.

As far as the MP3 market goes - look at Sony. They controlled it in the Walkman/Diskman era. Now where are they? It's another market that can easily fall out of grace when something better/different comes along.

 

[nerp]

A lot of people in this thread seem to forget how big Microsoft really is.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: clarkey01

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: clarkey01
Believe it ?

I fear the day when I won't be able to choose and build my own system or find myself in the minority. . .

with Mr. RIAA whipping boy as veep, soon it will be hacking and copyright infringement to build a computer out of parts

I don't follow ?

if you put your own computer together you might leave an analog 'hole' that you could copy stuff from. the RIAA doesn't want you to do that. joe biden is a big time RIAA honk.

yes, i'm being a bit over the top about it. but i'm certain the RIAA would like nothing more than to lock people out of their own computers. they've already gotten MS to lock down vista.

 

[alkemyst]

well we are going to get to the point where hardware will be overkill at all levels...then it will make no point for variety other than case design which will probably shrink down to the size of a desk of cards and your 'iPod' will be your laptop, desktop, etc with just a few ports on it.

 

[SoundTheSurrender]

Matters how much of a backlast Microsoft will get but most likely not gonna happen.

Apple's business plan is not to overpower Microsoft. I am a Macbook user but I still enjoy using Microsoft XP and programming in Visual Studio.

I can say that Microsoft is feeling a little threatened since they made those crappy commercials with Seinfield. I don't know what their marketing team was thinking. The 'I'm a PC' commercials are just as bad. This mean looking biker dude claim 'I'm a PC' and then you see Bill Gates. wtf were they thinking. I think Microsoft needs to learn a thing or two about marketing. Their model was just getting their OS on major PC suppliers. Microsoft has never acted either. They've always reacted to things and not done a good job IMO. They need more innovative people like Apple. There's no excuse.

 

[TridenT]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
well we are going to get to the point where hardware will be overkill at all levels...then it will make no point for variety other than case design which will probably shrink down to the size of a desk of cards and your 'iPod' will be your laptop, desktop, etc with just a few ports on it.

Please say you are joking... Remember 640k of ram is more than enough for anyone?

I for ALL, WANT MORE POWER. I cannot STAND AT ALL, how little we have and how much we need!

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: clarkey01

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: clarkey01
Believe it ?

I fear the day when I won't be able to choose and build my own system or find myself in the minority. . .

with Mr. RIAA whipping boy as veep, soon it will be hacking and copyright infringement to build a computer out of parts

I don't follow ?

if you put your own computer together you might leave an analog 'hole' that you could copy stuff from. the RIAA doesn't want you to do that. joe biden is a big time RIAA honk.

yes, i'm being a bit over the top about it. but i'm certain the RIAA would like nothing more than to lock people out of their own computers. they've already gotten MS to lock down vista.

yea microsoft rolled over like a b*tch.
remember
http://www.engadget.com/2006/1...e-for-every-zune-sold/

 

[K1052]

The second some intern over at Apple consumed in musings about how great the company is trips over the power cord to Jobs' life support tube the share price will nosedive faster than you can say "poor succession planning".

 

[SoundTheSurrender]

Originally posted by: TridenTBoy3555

Originally posted by: alkemyst
well we are going to get to the point where hardware will be overkill at all levels...then it will make no point for variety other than case design which will probably shrink down to the size of a desk of cards and your 'iPod' will be your laptop, desktop, etc with just a few ports on it.

Please say you are joking... Remember 640k of ram is more than enough for anyone?

I for ALL, WANT MORE POWER. I cannot STAND AT ALL, how little we have and how much we need!

I think he's getting at that technology blew up and grew rapidly but now it's slowing down and not as exciting.

 

[foghorn67]

Originally posted by: K1052
The second some intern over at Apple consumed in musings about how great the company is trips over the power cord to Jobs' life support tube the share price will nosedive faster than you can say "poor succession planning".

Oh, you were this close to having a WINNAR post.

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: Kaido
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.

Er, Windows wont dominate forever, this I'll guarantee.

 

[foghorn67]

Apple basically made the MP3 player mainstream. However, they aren't immune to a surprise hit that will knock them out of King of handheld devices title.
Apple dominating in computers or software? Never.
I keep hearing too much about how good .NET is.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: videogames101
Never, they both will get owned by Open-Source software.

What in the world makes you think that?

 

[irishScott]

Linux and OSS will always be free, and linux is getting bigger and bigger in terms of desktop usage. May take a decade or two, but I see it gaining a considerable position.

And the RIAA can go fuck itself. If I can see it or hear it I can copy it. Period.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: irishScott
Linux and OSS will always be free, and linux is getting bigger and bigger in terms of desktop usage. May take a decade or two, but I see it gaining a considerable position.

Not unless the government further neuters Microsoft or a bunch of killer apps, many of which are produced by Microsoft, move to Linux.

 

[LtPage1]

Never. I'm a die-hard Mac guy, always have been, and I don't ever want it to happen. A huge part of why Apple's entire product line is head and shoulders above everyone else is because we're still more or less a niche segment.

 

[clarkey01]

I do wonder we're we'd be If IBM and MS did not exist in the 80's

 

[Toasthead]

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon
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.

 

[SSSnail]

Well, until 90% of the world's population turn stupid, I don't think it'll happen in my life time.

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: foghorn67
Apple basically made the MP3 player mainstream. However, they aren't immune to a surprise hit that will knock them out of King of handheld devices title.
Apple dominating in computers or software? Never.
I keep hearing too much about how good .NET is.

it's doubtful anyone could ever overturn Apple in the handheld device market. I know some people with Zunes, a few with Sandisk mp3 players and a few with Creative. I know 25 times as many with iPods. And here is the kicker, of the non iPod people I mentioned, all have a single player. Which is pretty normal right? Well I know about hummm... 15 people personally who have 2 or more iPods. My neighbor has 3 different iPods, mind you he didn't buy the 2nd when the 1st broke, all work and his oldest is the iPod video which isn't even that old. I know one person who has 2 Touches (same size) and I know one person who has 3 regular iPods and a Mini. I also know a few people who have both a Touch and an iPhone. I don't understand why, but Apple people tend to be excessive with their purchases.

I'm sure while these examples aren't the normal, I can only imagine there are a remarkable number of people who do own multiple ipods. On the flip side, I can't think of one person I've ever spoke to who owns 2 different Zunes or Zens. Apple's strong hold on the mp3 market is basically the hand held equivalent of Windows. It's to the point people don't have mp3 players they have "iPods"