“Apple’s soon-to-be-launched iPhone will be irrelevant to business users because it is a ‘closed device’ and does not support Microsoft Office, a senior executive with the software giant said this week,” David Braue reports for ZDNet Australia.
“‘It’s a great music phone, and I’m sure it will be fantastic and have an interesting user interface,’ Microsoft’s Asia-Pacific head of smartphone strategy Chris Sorenson told press during a recent visit to Australia,” Braue reports.
“‘However, it’s a closed device that you cannot install applications on, and there’s no support for Office documents. If you’re an enterprise and want to roll out line of business applications, it’s just not an option. Even using it as a heavy messaging device will be a challenge,’ the executive added,” Braue reports.
Full article here.
This Microsoft executive is simply using the main talking point of the FUD campaign against Apple’s iPhone, namely: “iPhone is not for business.” It’s a weak point, as Microsoft should know, since Research In Motion has already long ago proven it wrong with the Blackberry, but it seems to be all they’ve got. These things happen when you’re instantly outclassed and shown to be 5-10 years behind the times, as Apple did to the mobile device industry with their iPhone unveiling. The fact is that business people will decide which device they want to carry and their businesses will adapt to it. Many will choose Apple’s iPhone.
This tack isn’t new. Goofy quote whore Rob Enderle tried out this same talking point back in early February (here). So did some no name from an internal network security provider (here), perhaps trying to protect his business by pushing Microsoft products while discouraging the use of Apple products — you know, like the IT guys who “choose” Windows’ and its inherent insecurity for their own job security. Microsoft even trotted out their trained dancing monkey to fake cackle and recite back the same talking point (here). There have been many others; we’ll spare you.
The fear they spread is their own. And they’re right to be afraid. (Hey, at least they got one thing right!)
That Microsoft is still so reliant on Office to fuel their multitudinous and wide-ranging failures is a sad indictment of their so-called management. That they use Office to try to leverage others out of markets or keep them out of markets is something the antitrust authorities should closely examine. We don’t use Microsoft Office for this reason, among others, and also because we’ve found that – gasp! – we can survive just fine without using a single one of Microsoft’s bloated, unimaginative products, thank you very much.
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If not supporting Word is included, I say “GREAT”.
i think apple will find it hard to take share away from Blackberry – i hope somehow they do but Blackberry will be what Ms Office is in the workplace.
M’soft’s Sorenson is in Ozzie Flinging Fud! Fair dinkum and Crikey! Throw a few fud flings on the Barbie, Mate! (And pass me me iPhone, Cobber!)
iPhone will be used in my business, because I want a secure, well made, aesthetically pleasing, secure, fully featured and secure, with the worlds best jukebox (that’ll be a touchscreen iPod) and able to run carefully chosen apps that will not break my phone.
Also, it’ll run in my business because I run my business and I actively avoid Micro$oft products like the plague.
Isn’t it great that M$ can predict the future?
I own an international brokerage company, and now use Pages, and send all documents as pdfs. They are readable by everyone, and read-only.
In the last year, I have eliminated Entourage, and Word.
Excel is next.
ODF is the way to go in the office…!
i hate office, and the only reason I still need it is because Apple doesnt have a spreadsheet app. (Appleworks does NOT count)
Please Steve, tell me Leopard is stalling because iWork got a new app named Cells.
Apple makes a spreadsheet and I delete MS from my computer forever.
They’re spooked. It’s awesome.
Guess what will be on the iPhone for office use…
iWorks
And it will spread and be used and it will be good.
Microsoft is here in the role of the dog in the manger. Screw them. Just sell the iPhone in humongous quatities and let the bitches bark.
They are running scared right now. They know that the iPhone will change the game and they are trying to protect their investment by spreading fud to keep their customers. I cannot wait until the iPhone comes out. I will be the first in line to reup my service and plan…..
also, why does apple need to be the one to do it? (make a spreadsheet)
Hello, Google, BareBones, heck how about Panic.
I’d wager that there are fewer phone users that actually use Office on their phone than there are windows tablet PCs.
It’s a PHONE !
If they want to use Office, they’ll carry a laptop. As Fake Steve would say, “Frigtard!”
For me, MacLinkPlus is MS Office. PERIOD.
Why the F would you want Office dox on your handheld?
I bought Documents to Go for my Palm and rarely, if ever, use it.
These Droids just don’t get it. MS should stick to what they do best: gouging their existing “customer” base and ripping off others’ ideas.
Hmmmm. It’s OS X, so it COULD run Office if need be…. or NeoOffice, for that matter. STFU, MS! Getting upset that the world is slowly but surely leaving you behind?
my Palm OS PDA does not run Microsoft Office, therefore it is irrelevant.
my refrigerator does not run Microsoft Office, therefore it is irrelevant.
i cannot run Microsoft Office on Chris Sorenson, therefore he is irrelevant.
“…there’s no support for Office documents” is a huge selling point for me.
I simply don’t want them.
Maybe Apple can use that line as a slogan in their marketing for iPhone:
iPhone: There’s No Support for Office Documents.™
Works for me.
I am with fatal. As soon as Apple includes a spreadsheet app with iWork, MS will be total removed from my machine.
In the first place – just who in the hell would want to support M$$$ anymore?
No one that I know!
M$$$$$ is on it’s last leg and the rest of the world has left the building – same with Dell and HP!
“However, it’s a closed device that you cannot install applications on, and there’s no support for Office documents.”
Asked why a BMW motorcycle travelling 200 k/hr on an autobahn would need Office or any other application, the Microsoft executive screamed “Everything needs Office!” Then he screamed nonstop for three hours.
The asylum visiting hours are 1400 to 1600 each weekday.
I have no choice but to use MS Office on occasion, but who’s to say that I actually purchased a legal copy of it though…
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Another A-hole.
If MicroSoft had been in the horse and buggy business…
“Ford’s soon-to-be-launched automobile will be irrelevant to business users…”
Either MicroSoft is riddled with idiots who will say anything or they think we’re idiots who’ll believe anything they say.
Who is to say that the iPhone won’t actually support office docs. After all they can be opened by iWork apps and given the iPhone runs OS X it will likely have iWork apps onboard.
To those who say people don’t use office apps on their phone this is not true. I use my PDA to take notes in lectures. For this reason I would like to see the iPhone support a pen based text recognition input system at some point. Beats using pen and paper for convenience.
Tim