“For the majority of Microsoft’s existence, they have been an OS company that provides key software that ran on PCs. Then, in the mid-1980s, they became a software applications company and dabbled in things like mice and keyboards as well. While they got into hardware with the XBox, this product was a vertical play for gamers and had no impact on their core businesses and PC partners,” Tim Bajarin writes for Tech.pinions. “During that, period I was very close to Microsoft. In fact, often Steve Ballmer and I would meet or have lunch when he came down to Silicon Valley to discuss Microsoft’s visions and strategies and he would try and convince me Microsoft was on track to dominate the PC world well into the future.”
“But on at least two occasions, I suggested to him ultimately Apple had the better business model in that they controlled the hardware and software and also oversaw its user interface so the hardware could be tweaked to the UI. I suggested this type of oversight would help Apple in the long run and give them greater control of their destiny,” Bajarin writes. “At the time, Ballmer could not see this as a plus for Apple and banished the idea they would ever want to own or control the entire ecosystem in order to guarantee Microsoft’s future.”
“But if you look at Microsoft’s new strategy, one can’t help but see this is an acknowledgment Apple’s business model of owning the hardware, software and services is ultimately the best one that assures Microsoft’s control of their destiny,” Bajarin writes. “It looks like “the Apple Way” is now the Microsoft Way too.”
Much more in the full article – recommended, as usual – here.
MacDailyNews Take: What good is making the whole widget when it’s inferior, frustrating, poorly-conceived crap?
The Apple wannabes and those who settle for knockoffs are coming to a sad realization. There’s only one master of vertical integration in technology: Apple. And they have a nearly 40-year head start. — MacDailyNews Take, June 7, 2014
SEE ALSO:
Why Google and Microsoft couldn’t emulate the Apple mobile device model – July 9, 2015
Frictionless fruit: Apple offers users unmatched convenience – June 7, 2014
Apple’s vertically integrated Mac could make interim Wintel model look like a detour – April 25, 2008
Apple has proven that vertical integration works better – October 24, 2006
Apple was right all along: vertical market quality trumps horizontal market woes – April 30, 2006
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz” and “Edward W.” for the heads up.]