Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer “had plenty to say—particularly in response to shareholder questions about Macs, Windows, and the company’s struggle to regain its footing in the market for mobile phones,” Todd Bishop reports for Portfolio.
“One shareholder told Ballmer that he believes Microsoft has a poor reputation compared with Apple among younger computer users, and particularly college students. ‘I’m just wondering why your marketing group can’t do something to try to rein in this next generation, because you’ve got a real bad image out there,’ the shareholder said, saying that Apple’s ads make the Redmond company look ‘like a buffoon,'” Bishop reports.
MacDailyNews Take: As if Microsoft’s choice of an actual buffoon for CEO hasn’t had any impact whatsoever.
“[Ballmer said] ‘There’s certainly always opportunities for improvement,’ acknowledging that there ‘is a group of people with whom our market share is less,'” Bishop reports. “[Ballmer said ‘]It is important to remember that 96 times out of 100 worldwide, people choose a PC with Windows, that’s a good thing. Even in the toughest market, which would be the high end of the consumer market here in the U.S., 83 times out of 100 people choose a Windows PC over a Mac.’ He added, ‘We’re working hard on it. Windows 7 I think gives us a real opportunity to come back again at some audiences that have been tougher for us. Frankly, the economy is good for us, because people do understand that Macintoshes are quite a bit more expensive for essentially the same computer…but we have opportunities to improve among exactly the constituency that you identify.'”
MacDailyNews Take: “Essentially the same computer?” Ballmer can’t really believe that, can he?
Bishop reports, “Later, another shareholder asked why Microsoft and Nokia don’t team up to try to topple the iPhone and fend off Google’s Android. Ballmer focused initially on the latter, saying he’s dedicated to keeping higher market share than the new Google mobile operating system.”
MacDailyNews Take: At least Ballmer T. Clown understands that “toppling iPhone” is an unrealistic goal.
Bishop reports, “[Ballmer said] ‘I think we’re on the right strategy, which is to focus on the software that goes into phones, as opposed to building phones.'”
MacDailyNews Take: He “thinks.” He still likes his strategy. He likes it a lot. May Steve Ballmer remain Microsoft CEO (and may MSFT shareholders remain clueless) for as long as it takes!
Full article here.
I thought Apple was around 10% these days how old is that 93% number anyway.
“I thought Apple was around 10% these days how old is that 93% number anyway.”
Notice how he doesn’t say, we SOLD that many, he just says Apple is bla bla, and we’re the rest. Total lie. In Asia, the entry price for WIndows is super super low, and of course, there’s rampant piracy. A significant chunk of the OS market is piracy. But I guess that’s why MS needs all that Authentication crap. Also, I thought LInux was still around. Ballmer pretends it doesn’t even exist. Nice ’rounding error’
LordRobin,
LOL, so true. When he said that in the Engadget interview, i thought, … “You’re not listening to your customers, because of the 96% share?… Asshole” He just ignores what Apple’s doing because the numbers say so…
People, this is a MONOPOLY. MS doesn’t react to its customers because they don’t have to. They got you by the balls. And in the press they claim people “9 times out of 10, walk out with a windows machine”… what a sleazebag
“people do understand that Macintoshes are quite a bit more expensive for essentially the same computer”
If I were a share holder I would ask, why aren’t you making a PC a BETTER computer instead of essentially the same?
I mean, it’s bad when you lie about your competition and say that “my product is better than theirs’ but he knows that will get him laughed off the planet. He has to lie just to say, they are essentially the same.
Overheard in the hall today:
“I’m Microsoft through and through. I’m a believer. Whatever Steve says, that’s what we’ll do.”
Nothing like a company full of agreeable drones.
As Ron White says: “You can’t fix stupid.”
“Ballmer said, ‘I think we’re on the right strategy, which is to focus on the software that goes into phones, …'” (“Trust me.”)
Ballmer is telling shareholders that they should rely on Microsoft’s software strategy?
I have never heard a better reason for any shareholder to dump Microsoft stock and run screaming.
My grand father who was born in 1903 and died in 1983 said “I’am not reach enough to by a cheap things” he was A great influence in my life…
If I type lol or LOL does that mean I am insecure?
@ just wondering,
Either that or you are 16, which also probably means you are insecure.
Steve Jobs likes your strategy. He likes it a lot.
Wait till Chrome OS eats MS lunch
Grilla Monkey Boy
“I thought Apple was around 10% these days how old is that 93% number anyway.”
10% US (up from a low of about 2.3%-3%). Around 3% worldwide (up from a low of 1.2%-2%). The ranges depend on the source you look at.
So the shareholders are bitching to Microsoft how about crappy they are and how great Apple is doing….but, yet they remain a Microsoft shareholder? This does not compute…
Ballmer stated that MS has 96% worldwide marketshare.
As for the ’rounding error’ of marketshare that has gone to Apple — he wants it back.
Wow. Now that’s some pathological greed.
Ballmer: It is important to remember that 96 times out of 100 worldwide, people choose a PC with Windows, that’s a good thing.
–
For who? Microsoft?
FWIW, if the IT fascist at your work bought 15,000 WinPCs, does that mean YOU choose it?
I guess if you want to be employed, it does!
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Most investors actually look at the ex-dividend date, which is two days before the record date. That is because it takes three days for the trade to settle, and the transaction to be recorded on the company’s book. online meetings|web conferencing
It’s About Time :
… And no hair and no brains….
Funny how the statisticians never count iPhones, iPod touches, or iPads as personal computers….
What would it do to the numbers if you did?…
I love it. Of course, I also own an ipod and recently me and my wife both bough the iPhones. MS has been making phones for 15 years and it all sucks ass. I owned one, it was a nightmare. Also, from Seattle and MS sucks.
Windows 7 seems to be good so far, that I have to admit, but they copies Ubuntu and OS X a lot. Not much innovation there and their Mobile market dropped to 7% from like 15%, so take that to the bank.
Steve needs to go, and Bill Gates needs to come back ASAP.
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