Apple and Google going to war-Microsoft the winner

[Frisco]

Microsoft is just sitting back waiting for Apple and Google to kill each other. Then when they are both licking their wounds Microsoft steps in and dominates Search, Ad-Revenue, Cell Phones, Tablets, and everything they already dominate.

Am I paranoid?

 

[elppa]

Your giving Microsoft way too much credit for strategy.

 

[*LTD*]

This isn't tag-team wrestling. What if Canonical suddenly appears and hits MS with a steel chair? What then? Then when Canonical tries to distract the ref for a second go at it, Sun shows up with Palm and clotheslines Canonical.

LOL.

Your giving Microsoft way too much credit for strategy.

OP doesn't even make sense. And if you really want to bow to the absurd you can even turn it around and say that while Apple and Google are ramping up the innovation, thanks to competition, MS gets left behind, as usual (it doesn't take much.)

Am I paranoid?

No. You're just bored.

 

[hakuryuu]

The only thing is that Apple and Google aren't killing each other, at least not yet. Both companies are doing exceptionally well. Apple continues to have record years and I think the competition from google is only fueling their improvements to the iPhone. MS isn't even a factor at this point in the cell phone game and Google is doing well, but they don't really have the package or mindshare in cellphones at the moment (we'll see where things go, of course). I don't have any kind of smart phone at the moment so I have only played with the iPhone and Motorola Droid. Though when it comes time for me to get a new phone (in about a week or two) I will likely end up with a Droid or Eris because I can't get an iPhone on verizon, yet. If I could get one on Verizon I would, though.

I doubt google will ever even consider whatever MS has for a search engine a real competitor. Microsoft's biggest problem here is that they keep changing it. Google is just.. Google. It doesn't change much and that is why they win. Apple will never seriously compete in the desktop search space, but on phones they have a good reason to want to get into that at least a little and there is room for them there.

I think MS will continue to dominate in the OS space for the foreseeable future simply because most software is there and people/businesses are practically allergic to change. I would love for OS X to be even more prevalent but it will be a long time before we see even 20% of the market using it.

In the end, Linux wins.

 

[pdjudd]

I don’t see Apple and Google at each other’s throats - In fact most of what Google produces seems targeted toward Microsoft and their business model. True Apple and Google do share some markets, their approaches are different - for example Android uses the same market approach that MS uses with Windows Mobile. Same with Chrome OS. Google has hosted email solutions (Google Business services) MS does too (MobileMe is not the same thing). Google does Maps MS does Maps. Search... You get the point.

Even as early as last week on Leo Laporte’s TWiT show - he asserts from a source at Google that they have great relationships with Apple. Sure Apple does make some movements that could be seen as being “at war” I would see them as more “ensuring that your business plan doesn’t depend on other people.

Look at it this way - if Apple and Google are at war, why is Safari still default search to Google? Why did they recently add sync support to Google Calendar? Why does the iPhone make it convenient to add gMail accounts to it’s mail clients? The answer is simple - Nothing Google does uses the Apple approach of a “whole widget approach”.

The answer is obvious - Google’s business is very similar to that of Microsoft - get your products and services on as many products as possible. Google just subsidizes what MS charges with advertising. Google loves Apple - They can get their products and services on another product (one that is surprisingly devoted) and Google doesn’t have to worry about Apple shutting out their partners (like HTC or Motorola) unless they go out of business.

Google targets MS because they are far valuable - and it can be proven with MS trying to do whatever Google and Apple are doing - they don’t want to be beaten by a business model that can undercut them or make something better than what they can make.

 

[KingYaba]

Unless Google releases a Mac-like desktop OS then no they're not at war. And if they distribute this OS for free...

 

[angelneo]

Microsoft is just sitting back waiting for Apple and Google to kill each other. Then when they are both licking their wounds Microsoft steps in and dominates Search, Ad-Revenue, Cell Phones, Tablets, and everything they already dominate.

Am I paranoid?

When Apple and Google fight it out, they are actually strengthening their position. It's not the kind of war where they start acting purely out to damage the other, not at this moment yet

 

[Consultant]

NOPE.

iPhone uses google services.

"Going to war" is just FUD.