Dan Lyons who formerly wrote as the "Fake Steve Jobs" published a story at Newsweek about how Appleis is becoming just another Microsoft and a "monopolist in training." The essay struck CNBCis Jim Goldman as odd, so he took a closer look at the issues involved and came to a different conclusion.
Mr. Goldman noted that Lyonis view was that Apple used to be a niche player, but now the company is so powerful other smaller companies [in the same market] are hard pressed to survive.
"Wait a second! Itis not as if Apple paid some magical fee and instantly became what it is today," Mr. Goldman wrote. "The company slaved and sweat and innovated and built a better musical mousetrap (thank you iPod) and millions beat a path to Cupertino. Apple indeed became powerful and successful but because it earned it."
Piece by piece, Mr Goldman looked at the arguments in "One Bad Apple," by Mr. Lyons and pointed out the reality of the situation. Customers are flocking to a company that, a decade ago, almost went out of business. Thatis American capitalism, but for Mr. Lyons, it seems like every Apple success is a good deed to be punished.
"No oneis forcing anybody to do business with Apple," Mr. Goldman concluded. "No oneis forcing anybody to invest in Apple. If dissatisfaction grows, customers and investors can pick up their marbles and play somewhere else."
That, he concluded , is the real point. "Apple customers iwant to.i Microsoft customers ihave to.i"