Jobs' Mob going to be bigger than Microsoft
For a while I have been complaining about the hold that
Apple appears to have over the technology press. Apple seems to have an unfair advantage over other
technology companies because it has its fan boys writing press releases for
them.
Part of the reason is that Apple has a strong presence
among the printing industry. Newspapers in particular use lots of Apple
gear. This week it is the turn of Associated Press to make the
bizzare claim that Apple will be the technology market leader and take
the
crown away from Microsoft.
The writer claims that Apple “phoenix-like rise from the
ashes” has propelled its market value to $180 billion, raising the possibility
that it could challenge Microsoft Corp for the technology crown. The article admits that Microsoft is now the world's most
valuable tech company with a commanding market capitalization of $250 billion
and its Windows software is in nine out of 10 personal computers. Jobs' mob can
only manage five machines in every hundred.
“Apple, flush with cash and fat margins, has catalysts in
the iPhone, the Mac PC and a highly anticipated but unconfirmed tablet device
expected to launch next year,” the article enthuses. The article admits that Apple's revenue is still far
smaller than that Redmond “but it is growing at a more rapid rate”. He said Microsoft is more of a value-based play, with
"a strong product cycle coming with Windows 7."
The rest of the article is rehashing Apple's good news
this year with its results. No proof that Apple has anything that can
cause it to double its size and power other than the “Apple Tablet”.
Microsoft has been doing badly for a few years and Apple
done quiet well. But most of Microsoft's woes have been because its
flagship product Vista has been such a lemon. Replacement with Windows 7 seems to have set the company
up to make shed-loads of money next year.
Those who have bought Vista will probably upgrade along
with that huge market who are still using Windows XP. Apple on the other
hand has... er that tablet.
Apple's own operating system seems unable to grow out of
its current box. The best it has managed has been fraction of a
percentage growth. It is also like to see a decline in revenues of its iPod
cash cow as that fad has started to fade. Its attempts to peddle its
gadgets in developing markets have largely failed, particularly in
China.
Apple has largely depended on people to talk up its
products and its loyal fan boy base to peddle its marketing message. However
claiming that the fruity one is close to stealing Microsoft's
crown is over egging the pudding. They might as well tell us that Steve
Jobs is going to be the next President of the United States. (You never know... sub.ed.)