“Apple’s resurgent operating system, OSX 10.4, codenamed ‘Tiger,’ could open a new front in the perpetual conflict against Microsoft. Much as Firefox, the open source web browser retrieved from the ruins of Netscape Navigator, threatens Microsoft’s hegemony with its Internet Explorer, so this week’s Tiger debut offers enterprise customers a viable desktop choice over Windows for the first time in a decade,” Rob O’Neill writes for The Age.
MacDailyNews Take: “First time in a decade?!” Mac OS X 10.3 Panther has been offering enterprise customers a viable desktop choice since its release on October 24, 2003. For that matter Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar, released on August 23, 2002, was also a “viable desktop choice” for enterprise customers.
“Stirred by its rival’s launch, Microsoft is drip-feeding news of its often-delayed, overhauled Windows OS, codenamed ‘Longhorn,’ expected [late] next year. Stuart Harris, software product manager for Apple Australia, says OS X has a four-year head start on Windows, with Tiger [being] the latest upgrade,” O’Neill writes. “Longhorn is expected to include something similar but there can be no doubting the Apple technology is very slick.”
“IDC analyst Michael Sager is bullish about Apple’s position, saying the company is picking up market share in desktops and mobiles. He says Apple was the fastest growing vendor here in last year’s final quarter and he expects that to carry through to the first quarter of this year,” O’Neill writes. “‘They are growing in areas they haven’t been in before,’ he says, attributing much of the success to the launch of the Mac Mini. Mr Sager says the arrival of OS X 10.4 has to be seen in that context, as part of a package of new and enhanced products that are delivering momentum to the company. But while Apple gets software out the door, Microsoft is burdened with one delay after another.”
Full article here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Nearly every segment of the PC food chain needs Longhorn to succeed – April 22, 2005
Microsoft’s new mantra: ‘It Just Works’ ripped straight from Apple’s ‘Switch’ campaign – April 22, 2005
Apple CEO Steve Jobs on Microsoft’s Longhorn: ‘They are shamelessly copying us’ – April 21, 2005
Apple shows off Mac OS Tiger in Microsoft’s backyard while Microsoft previews Windows XP ad push – April 19, 2005
Apple’s Mac OS X reality vs. Microsoft’s Longhorn fantasy – April 19, 2005
Microsoft’s Windows Longhorn will bear more than just a passing resemblance to Apple’s Mac OS X – April 15, 2005
Analyst: ‘Microsoft’s Longhorn is going to have hard time upstaging Apple’s Mac OS X Tiger’ – April 13, 2005
Analyst: Apple in ‘position to exploit Microsoft missteps, claim leadership’ with Mac OS X Tiger – April 13, 2005
Apple’s Schiller: Mac OS X Tiger ‘has created even more distance between us and Microsoft’ – April 13, 2005
Will Mac OS X Tiger add fuel to Apple’s recent momentum in the computer business? – April 13, 2005
Why doesn’t Apple advertise Mac OS X on TV? – April 12, 2005
Analyst: Tiger proves ‘Apple is light years ahead of Microsoft in developing PC operating systems’ – April 12, 2005
Apple to ship Mac OS X ‘Tiger’ on Friday, April 29; pre-orders start today – April 12, 2005
Apple Announces Mac OS X Server ‘Tiger’ to ship Friday, April 29 with 64-bit application support – April 12, 2005
Analysts: Apple’s new Tiger operating system could really impact Mac sales – April 12, 2005
Piper Jaffray raises Apple estimates on Mac OS X ‘Tiger’ release news – April 12, 2005
Apple’s Mac OS X ‘Tiger’ vs. Microsoft’s Windows ‘Longhorn’ – March 31, 2005
New Microsoft Longhorn chief was former Pepto-Bismol brand manager – March 18, 2005
Microsoft’s Longhorn fantasy vs. Apple’s Mac OS X reality – September 14, 2004
Is Microsoft’s stripped-down ‘Longhorn’ worth waiting for? – September 10, 2004
Silicon Valley: Apple CEO Steve Jobs previews ‘Longhorn’ – June 29, 2004
PC Magazine: Microsoft ‘Longhorn’ preview shows ‘an Apple look’ – May 06, 2004
Microsoft concerned that Longhorn’s look and feel will be copied if revealed too soon – August 25, 2003
Windows ‘Longhorn’ to add translucent windows that ripple and shrink by 2005 – May 19, 2003
It’s only going to get worse for Microshaft
If Microsoft gets too far advanced, doesn’t it open the door further to Apple. After all, if you have to buy new equipment to run Longhorn, and probably new software, why not just go with Apple.
And, if Longhorn is not so great as to necessitate new equipment and new software to keep pace, won’t it just be a truly mediocre advance from XP.
Apple, at least, went so far to the cutting edge that OS 9 and earlier can’t run on OSX without running in Classic Mode. If Microsoft doesn’t go that far, I think it will paint itself in the corner.
Erick Erickson: I didn’t think before (extrange, the professor am I), but you’re 100% right
Yea…well, unless IBM & Freescale make some significant advances in the Power PC chips, I don’t see Apple making more than marginal gains in market share. Apple has always done well with the Mac OS, it’s the chips that continually hold Apple back.
To be honest, to the average windows computer user/consumer, if they have to buy a new windows pc just to upgrade they will do one of two things:
1. Decide not to bother to upgrade – especially if they’re existing windows pc works fine for what they want to do with it.
or
2. If they have heard about Apple and OS X – then they may look at it and buy into mac.
Microsoft has a massive mountain to climb with it’s ‘new’ version of windows. They have to convince people with a perfectly (or near enough for windows) working and functional pc that longhorn is worth the upgrade.
The hardware requirements for Longhorn are ridiculous and shows how bloated the code will be.
Depending on if they achieve this or not – depends on Longhorn’s and Microsofts future success.
If Longhorn does not sell – then Microsoft are in VERY deep shit.
And to be frank – at the moment there are NO features in Longhorn that are worth buying a new windows pc for – and Microsoft knows this too!
Microsoft was a two hit wonder: Win 98 (XP is an upgrade of that) and Office. Loghorn is likely to be an upgrade of the upgrade with a new face on it. No challenge to OSX whatsoever…
Now how will Apple pull a spreadsheet programme out of it’s proverbial hat? (as well as working its nuts off making Pages the simplest and the best word processor).
microsuck could lay a turd and wrap it up in an ugly-brown paper bag and most peecee users would still buy it…
From Longhorn Lead Programmer:
“We are going to provide some broad guidance to hardware manufacturers about the kind of systems that will be great Longhorn systems,” Lead Program Manager Greg Sullivan said. Analysts expect minimum requirements to start with a 4GHz CPU and 1GB of RAM, built-in wireless networking, and a DirectX 9-capable 3D accelerator with at least 128MB of RAM. But the recommended system could be far more powerful; either way, the requirements will likely exceed the capabilities of any PC system that’s available today.”
Meanwhile, here I am, happily using the powerful iMac DV SE 400 mHz screamer to run Panther, and by all accounts, Tiger will run at least as fast, if not faster.
So … a business could upgrade to Longhorn plus $2000+ per computer, or upgrade to Tiger plus $500 per computer. OK. $1,500 for an iMac G5 including Office.
Hmm. I know what I would choose.
Hey, where did you find that Longhorn lead programmer quote? I didn’t see it in this article. Please post the link.
BTW, my bet is that M$ will water down Longhorn sufficiently so that most computers can run it–otherwise, they’re screwed, and I think they can figure that out. So why would anyone bother to upgrade then?? M$ is assuming they can muscle Windows users into upgrading over time if they can get software developers and others to switch to Longhorn while, over time, ending their own support for XP. It will be ugly, but that has to be their plan. They’re going to try to use their market share to force people to do it, after some time passes to give users a chance to get used to the idea.
Apple needs to get the kids and they use MSN. Write a Windows version of iChat or, less bood, allow iChat to connect to MSN. BUT, put extra functions in the Mac version (current song/picture/movie/game) to get those who use Windows to desire a Mac. Video and audio chat to windows users is lame on a Mac, yet should be better than Windows given the graphics. Or put a slice of ADR in iChat i.e. being able to view each other’s screen (snapshot only). Or link to AOL’s games. Or link to mobile phones. Or downloadable ringtone sounds/emoticons for chatting. Than tell the fathers. Dads like me love to buy anything that will make our teenage girls happy or more popular – lame, but true.
This was the most annoying part:
“For corporate productivity, Mr Harris extols Apple’s long-anticipated desktop search tool, Spotlight, which is built into the operating system and enables fast searches across almost any application, even the Finder, which is Apple’s answer to Windows Explorer.”
No, jackass, windows explorer was microsuck’s answer to the finder.
…Or link to mobile phones…
Yeah, I didn’t like paying 2.50/tone for my kids’ VirginMobile, when I should have been able to easily IM/email any Midi tone I found on the ‘net.
$2.50 for a 20 second Bjork tone, yowzers!
Luckily, I found free tones here:
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Finder, which is Apple’s answer to Windows Explorer
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Before Windows Explorer, Mac users just left all their files on the desktop.. thank god Bill Gates came along with that famous keynote, where he walked on stage with a folder and showed the world the 5 1/2″ floppy of Windows 1.0
GO FORTH AND ORGANIZE YOUR FILES!
Holy Mackerel:
I agree with you completely, Apple did a great job grabbing a lot of windows users with a windows version of iTunes, I think iChat is a great next step. Although, I would say that AIM is much more popular than MSN, but the client has become bloated with ads and features that nobody uses. Before I switched I refused to upgrade past AIM 4.8 which is almost three years old now, I think.
Integration with iTunes is a great feature that would grab the support of a lot of kids. Also, just the general interface of iChat has impressed a lot of my friends who have come over to have a look at my Mini since I got it.
Holy Mackerel:
I too agree with you and also agree that MSN users is a worthy target. At the same time they should make iChat interop with Yahoo Messenger. Apple should have a cross platform client program. The more invasions into MS territory such as this occur, the better for the health of the Mac platform. Big items are indeed video on both platforms, emoticons, animations, etc.
The strategy should be to make it easier, better, more fun than any of the big three MSN, Yahoo, or AIM. This is a very important central app in many people’s lives, much as iTunes has become. Part of this strategy should be lowering the price and making iSights USB2 compatible.
iChat interop with Yahoo Messenger. Apple should have a cross platform client program
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For the record, apple would love to support all networks, but they have to pay $$$.
MSN would not like Apple to have the most capable IM software that serves all networks, so I imagine they’d charge a buttload.. Same goes for Yahoo. Relating to this story, Apple said, “We’re all about open standards” which means they want FREE access to MSN, Yahoo etc
Apple and AIM are really getting into bed on alot of fronts so I think that relationship is really exceptional (literally).
Check out Adiumx.com for the best open source chat program ( a few networks)