“Trends in the data that have to be massively disconcerting to Microsoft management (not to mention its external shareholders). Dripping, gloppy Apple envy coming from the top. Incredulity at the public’s lack of understanding of Vista’s greatness. These are not signs of a company, of a culture, of a management team doing well. They are failing. Failing to understand their customers. Failing to understand the tone of the market. Failing to understand the kind of messaging that is necessary to get people excited about their products. And yes, failing to transition into the Consumer Era of Computing, a phenomenon I had written about in a post about six weeks ago,” Roger Ehrenberg writes for SeekingAlpha.
Ehrenberg writes, “And I’ve got to say that this latest leg in the Microsoft/Apple battle bears stunning similarity to the duel (although it is hard to have a duel when one of the participants is already dead) between Sony and Nintendo in the PS3/Wii war, while a story that still needs to be fully played out looks increasingly like the nimble, adaptive, consumer-focused company kicking the crap out of the Grand Dame of Gaming. And I am sure over the ensuing months and years we will see more of this stuff happening, where the more consumer-centric, lighter, friendlier applications will dominate the legacy titans of yesteryear. It is all just beginning, and the first and highest profile casualty may well be Sony, closely followed by Microsoft.”
Ehrenberg rips Gates for his disastrous February 1st interview with Steven Levy of Newsweek (see: Bill Gates has lost his mind: calls Apple liars, copiers; slams Mac OS X security vs. Windows), “Are you kidding me? Bill sounds a little like Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction, and that he is getting ready to boil Steve Jobs’ bunny. First off, Bill, after having spent an amount exceeding the GDP of several sovereign nations – $500 million – to launch Vista, don’t you think you could have spent even a little of that on media training? THAT is your elevator pitch? Sorry, Bill, but you’re not getting the VC funding you desire. You’re not even getting out of the elevator. Your answer on security: poor. Your paranoia and irritation at Apple’s successful branding and image-making? Nauseating… The Apple threat and a changing world is making you become unhinged.”
“Bill’s got a bunch of reasons to feel pretty lousy. Microsoft has never been as vulnerable as it is right now. And the blogosphere is all over this, particularly as it relates to Vista,” Ehrenberg writes. “We may be witnessing an historic changing of the guard, which takes place in every generation.”
Much more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “chrissyone” for the heads up.]
Here’s our take from January 10, 2005: “As we have always said, even as many short-sightedly waved (and continue to wave) the white flag, the war is not over. And, yes, we shall prevail. For the naysayers: In 1929, Ford held just over 61% of the U.S. market for automobiles. GM’s market share stood at just 12%. Ford was thought to be invincible, with GM regarded as a niche auto maker. Probably, some analyst at the time said, ‘The reality is, long term, GM will always be a niche player.’ But, in 1936, just seven years later, Ford held just 22% of the market for new automobiles while General Motors held a 43% share. No company is invincible. Not even Microsoft.”
Related articles:
Analyst Ehrenberg: Microsoft’s Xbox 360: Failure-in-a-Box – April 18, 2007
Apple takes dead aim at Microsoft’s Windows Vista in latest ‘Get a Mac’ ad (with video) – February 06, 2007
Bill Gates has lost his mind: calls Apple liars, copiers; slams Mac OS X security vs. Windows – February 02, 2007
Net Applications: Apple’s Mac market share continues rise, hits 6.22% in January 2007 – February 01, 2007
Bill Gates lists Microsoft ‘innovations’ that Apple has offered Mac users for years – January 30, 2007
Apple larger than Microsoft by 2010? – January 29, 2007
Gates bristles over Vista, Mac OS X comparisons – January 29, 2007
Microsoft about to lose the software business just as IBM lost the PC business in ‘80s – July 26, 2006
Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ ultimate goal: ‘to take back the computer business from Microsoft’ – June 16, 2005
Apple vs. Microsoft rivalry heats up again – January 10, 2005
Damn you Chrissy, beat me to the submission… 😀
“Dripping, gloppy Apple envy coming from the top”.
I love it!
YEEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWW!!!!!
flios fliggle floo
@ His Shadow
That’s not the first time I’ve heard that. ^_^
-c
wow! it isn’t often that you see the media turn on a company like this. microsoft is not getting any slack at all. they could cure cancer tomorrow and the press would jump on them for something.
Microsoft isn’t going anywhere, after all they still have hundreds of billions of dollars to lose. Expect an Xbox phone and a Zune video arcade some time soon.
Greenpeace blasts Microsoft
Greenpeace today accused Microsoft of “unholy alliances” and “actions which will disrupt the ecology of the entire planet” as Steve Ballmer, Microsoft’s president, along with the presidents of the American Medical Association and the British Medical Association and the head of the UN Health Organization, announced the cure for cancer.
“By permitting so many humans to survive, Microsoft is doing to the ecology what their operating system did to business,” said an unnamed Greenpeace representative.
“Microsoft isn’t going anywhere”
-Stephen
Neither did Ford. But Microsoft’s 90%+ dominance may soon be over.
Facts and more facts. Doesn’t get any better than this.
“(although it is hard to have a duel when one of the participants is already dead)”
WOW! Maybe stated a bit prematurely …. but I burst out laughing at that line.
“. . . and that he is getting ready to boil Steve Jobs’ bunny.”
Don’t screw with the Bunny! He’ll bite your bloody head off.
Oh, that Gates interview was awesome. The mere mention of the name Apple was enough to send Bill into a wild eyed frenzy. It was surreal.
Consumer Era of Computing, a phenomenon I had written about in a post about six weeks ago
—
Something the two Steves have been talking about for 30 years. Way to get the ‘scoop.’
“Dripping, gloppy Apple envy seizes Microsoft”
Too bad they lost their towels. Now who’s gonna clean up this mess?
see?!?!?! what did i tell you?!
Dripping gloppy Apple….ewwwwwwwww. Is this Apple’s version of squirting?
Sounds like sloppy seconds….
MW: wrong as in.,…..this is just worng.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart kicks ass.
If you haven’t done so already, do yourself the favor of reading Ehrenberg’s original article, not just the MDN version. It is remarkably thoughtful. If I were a Microsoft stockholder, I would be afraid. Very afraid. As an Apple stockholder, I am grinning ear-to-ear and waiting for the stock to blow through $100 and split.
Ballmer has locked his office door. He’s removed his shirt and plopped into his recently rebuilt office chair.
He’s grabbed a Costco vat of apple sauce and has begun to slowly pour it over his chest while humming a surprisingly wide variety of classic Broadway show tunes. Uh oh. The shoes have come off.
<sigh…>
2:58, so obviously not me.
Use me.
Um, the dateline on this article is February 6th. Interesting read, but hardly “news”.
That is a phenomenal read.
Shadow said: Damn you Chrissy, beat me to the submission.
ChrissyOne said: That’s not the first time I’ve heard that.
Chrissy – he said TO the submission ….
not INTO submission.