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Microsoft Picked The Wrong Fight
by , 3:35 PM EDT, June 22nd, 2007
Microsoft, in its desire to dominate every technological market, started a war with Google, an enemy it didn't know how to fight. Meanwhile, Apple is partnering with Google in a long term video war that Microsoft will be hard pressed to survive, according to an editorial from the Joost Team.
Observing how Apple and Google have been partnering lately, the author wrote, "Steve Jobs appears to have learned from Microsoft past success and decided that fighting Google was not the answer to the problem."
It turned out that each company had something the other needed. Google has the network and content. Apple has the fabulous hardware and UI technologies.
The result has been Google Search, Google Maps, Google Mail, and now YouTube on the iPhone. Google bent over backwards for Apple and recodes its Flash videos in H.264 format now.
"The latest move of Apple in the Windows browser space is most likely part of the plan," Mr. Maltais wrote. "Safari for Windows gives Apple the control they need on the environment to better display and play YouTube content ... and content is king, especially in the digital space."
The future has enourmous possibilities. There might be a video camera in a future iPhone that would allow the user to instantly upload to YouTube. Eventually, major content agreements that bring TV to Google/YouTube could spell trouble for Joost.
TMO notes that exactly what else could happen in terms of synergistic technologies between the two companies, no one knows, but the battle lines are drawn and Microsoft seems to be, suddenly, odd man out.
Observer Comments
John, I think you're wrong. This "fight" between Microsoft and Google will drive innovation and invention in the software world. I personally am excited at the idea of Microsoft and Google going at it no holds bar contest of who can make the best software. It just saddens me to see that Apple won't be participating in this, just taking advantage of Google's work.
QuoteI'm happy to see competition, but I still think Apple isn't sitting it out or leeching off M$ or Google. They're innovating in software (multitasking, distributed computing, synchronized services and files), plus they're driving hardware (motion & proximity sensors, power management, touch interface). What a great time to be an Apple geek!daemon wrote:
I personally am excited at the idea of Microsoft and Google going at it no holds barred contest of who can make the best software. It just saddens me to see that Apple won't be participating in this, just taking advantage of Google's work.
Quotedaemon wrote:
John, I think you're wrong. This "fight" between Microsoft and Google will drive innovation and invention in the software world. I personally am excited at the idea of Microsoft and Google going at it no holds bar contest of who can make the best software. It just saddens me to see that Apple won't be participating in this, just taking advantage of Google's work.
Daemon, I think your missing the combined resources of Google and Apple both are helping each other innovate. For example, Apple helped Google rewrite there Google Map SDK. I think your going to see a lot of really cool joint ventures from both companies. I have a friend who works at Google and they are just creating some amazing software. Now combine that with Apples amazing hardware and you got many winning products.
Fri Jun 22, 2007 4:53 pm Subject: Reporting
Fri Jun 22, 2007 6:49 pm Subject: Apple shouldn't overextend
Personally, I'm glad Apple is taking advantage of Google's work. Why shouldn't they? Google does good work. Apple does an awful lot of things themselves, and they do most of them very well, which leads people to think they should do anything and everything. They shouldn't.
When Apple steps into a field, it's because there's a real need for them to. When Apple made Safari, there weren't any first-rate web browsers for OS X (before Safari the web experience was better in OS 9!). When they made the iPod, there were no good mp3 players out there (certainly not any that were Mac-compatible). And now the cell phone market has ridiculous room for improvement.
Apple's not a "me, too" company. There's no need for them to enter a market that's already filled well. That would overextend their resources, and it wouldn't attract customers.
The problem with that view is that Microsoft rarely innovates. Microsoft is a me too company that has a big bank account. It essentially is a spoiled jealous brat that can buy its way into any market even though it often has little clue of why it should be going there in the first place.
Microsoft has offered very little innovative in the browser market, the MP3 market, the search market, the mobile phone OS market, and the list I am sure goes on. Microsoft's idea of innovation is stealing unearned market share.
Apple innovates when it makes sense and is not afraid to let other companies rule a market when it doesn't interfere with Apple plans. Apple could have said, "Hey, Google is making a lot of money with this search thing, we should try to take that market." It, however, knows that is not in its interest to do so.
Quotedaemon wrote:
John, I think you're wrong. This "fight" between Microsoft and Google will drive innovation and invention in the software world. I personally am excited at the idea of Microsoft and Google going at it no holds bar contest of who can make the best software. It just saddens me to see that Apple won't be participating in this, just taking advantage of Google's work.
Sat Jun 23, 2007 6:05 am Subject: Steve Balmer addresses his developer conference...
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