Analyst Ehrenberg: Dripping, gloppy Apple envy seizes Microsoft

19 years ago

“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.”