Is Microsoft Really a Dying Consumer Brand?

[captjack5169]

[citation][nom]TEAMSWITCHER[/nom]I think this is a accurate assessment. Apple and Google are the major tech players in the consumer space right now. I doubt the new WinPhone will be able to compete against the iPhone (or Android). Blackberry should be worried though.The problem isn't all Microsoft's. PC makers need to start selling better laptops and tablets like the MacBook Pro and the iPad. These devices are far more than fashion statements. Apple's hardware is very appealing to consumers. The high prices give Apple more R&D dollars to design the next generation of exciting products. PC competition has produced low-cost designs and shrunken margins with low R&D budgets, now PC laptops look old, because they are old. PC makers are selling the same old notebook designs they did 8 years ago, and consumers know it.Bottom line - PC makers need to raise prices to produce premium products with premium margins to fund new R&D to complete against Apple. If they just wait for Microsoft to solve their Apple problem, it will be too late, and they too will suffer Microsoft's fate.[/citation]

I would agree with this except for one tiny problem. People are versed in going to best buy or buying there systems from HP/Dell. I learned from experience if the system has to be top end, build it yourself. Other people buy big box computers from the big box stores pays my paycheck because unless they paid top dollar for it, and sometimes even when they do, the damn thing doesn't last. I tell people all the time if you want it to last spend the money on the good stuff. They don't I always here, omg its going to cost how much to fix that, I can buy a new one for that, and usually its like half of what new one costs. I mean who the hell buys a new desktop for $400 and expects it to last. Thats like buy a car for $200 and expecting to run. I don't get it.

Do we need need nicer look equipment? Yah... are people going to pay what it costs to get the nicer looking better equipped. Not Likely.

 

[dman3k]

Microsoft is almost as dying as McDonald's is. Who wants fatty burgers?

 

[compfreak93]

Whoever wrote that article on CNN obviously has something against Microsoft, they basically took all of Microsoft's achievements and spun them to look bad.

 

[tpi2007]

I haven't read the article over at CNN, but in general terms I would say that Microsoft has never been a big name for a consumer to brag about. It's just not Microsft's culture, and I perfectly understand that.

Unlike Apple, that clearly put their shiny logo on the back of their laptops, so it works as free publicity when someone has one open, or on the back of their iPhones, Microsoft is a software brand that relies on it's products to make the impact, rather than the company name itself, much like Adobe relies on Photoshop and Flash. Other companies have a different approach - like Corel (Corel Draw is the finest example).

Almost everybody praises Windows 7, the Xbox 360 is very popular, and so is Office 2007. You don't even have to say "Microsoft Office 2007 or 2010" People know it's from Microsoft. The biggest free Office package named itself against Microsoft by just saying it's an Open.. Office.

What I mean is that Micrsoft has done a brilliant job over the years with these products, and they have a massive brand awareness, they have defacto standards, and that is what counts. Microsoft itself lies a little bit more in the background, as a quality assurer.

Possibly many people mistake this approach for a weak consumer brand, like CNN.

 

[crom]

Aside from a few big consumer brands, Microsoft seems to be shifting to a B to B business model, similar to IBM. In the long term that may be a better fit for them as Apple continues to conquer the laptop, smartphone, and tablet market. Also the fact that the desktop seems to be on the downward trend. I doubt it will be anytime soon for Microsoft, but I would think that within 10 - 15 years, they won't be nearly as influential on the consumer side as they currently are. I think what they really need to do is get rid of Ballmer and get a CEO with vision there. Since he's taken over the company has been sliding down.

 

[Non-Euclidean]

[citation][nom]bustapr[/nom]Statement is bull...[/citation]

Duh, its from CNN, of course its bull.

 

[extremepcs]

The libtards at CNN like Apple stuff? Shocking.

 

[TechnoBowl]

Funny that an anti-microsoft article comes from CNN. That's all they do over there is bash Microsoft. Maybe someone should pry their lips off of Steve Jobs' ***.

 

[Nexus52085]

CNN, you're full SHhhhniggles.

 

[karebear]

[citation][nom]Yuka[/nom]The only thing that MS has going on, barely, is the X-Box 360. The rest is just making copycats on similar products.If we talk about "making technology", I don't remember anything in the last decade made by MS being something actually "new" to the consumers. Not in bling bling, not in functionality.Even in OS (business+desktop+mobile) share they're staggering quite fast. They can't even position their new OS'es quite well because they DO NOT BRING ANYTHING NEW to the table. Win7 has seen the light thanks to loads of cash in marketing and being better than Vista. But like 99% of the needs are pretty much covered by XP and the much "humble" (no gaming thanks to DirectX) Linux distros out there, where Ubuntu shines and excels in user experience (ease of use, features, UI, etc).Hope MS takes this as a wake up call FAST. They're not a bad company, but they're not making anything amazing these days either.Cheers![/citation]

I think its interesting how fast a relevant and coherent post gets rated down here on Toms just because it has something negative about MS or something positive about Apple.

Even if Jobs is a dou*** canoe, you would think that techies would be the first to realize that apple has provided a lot of inspiration for companies like MS and Google. Look at what it as done to improve the ease of use/interface for smartphones and MP3 (or now 'media') players.

Done ranting though. I don't think MS is on it's way out. As long as it can manage the software monopoly that it has over other OS (Especially in the gaming department), it will still be in a very good position. If anything they are on an upswing at the moment; lets just hope they can keep their momentum.

 

[grieve]

MS has win7 + Office 07/10

Apple has ipod/iphone

How is MS failing? Couldn't the article be about Apple failing since they only have a phone and music player... there OS is only on 4% of machine? and Safari... well i use it on my iphone but never on Win7.

I think MS will be around for some time, so will Apple... It is a battle that will continue till long after im dead and gone.

 

[crom]

C'mon Microsoft lovers, lets get out of denial and face some serious facts.

Their stock is down 17% this year

They have been downgraded as a company

Apple will eclipse them in terms of profitability by the end of this year

Google has dominated them in search

PC sales are down

They invented the tablet market and in less than a year Apple has completely dominated it

They lost the smart phone market, and while Windows7 phone is a better step forward, the phone is still behind current android and iOS phones

The Xbox360 has not even come close to the sales numbers that the Nintendo Wii has

IE is continuing to decline as a web browser

The list goes on, but a lot of the posts here seem to ignore them. They aren't "pro-Apple" either. If anything, I think they're trying to give Microsoft a nice dose of cold water to wake up from whatever sleep they are in and to begin to innovate again. They did it in the 90's, but now they're just coasting by.

 

[qwed88]

CNN is the one dieing. I guarantee Microsoft will be around for at least another 20 years. They make enough from the gaming division at this point, to fall back on.

 

[2real]

[citation][nom]TEAMSWITCHER[/nom]I think this is a accurate assessment. Apple and Google are the major tech players in the consumer space right now. I doubt the new WinPhone will be able to compete against the iPhone (or Android). Blackberry should be worried though.The problem isn't all Microsoft's. PC makers need to start selling better laptops and tablets like the MacBook Pro and the iPad. These devices are far more than fashion statements. Apple's hardware is very appealing to consumers. The high prices give Apple more R&D dollars to design the next generation of exciting products. PC competition has produced low-cost designs and shrunken margins with low R&D budgets, now PC laptops look old, because they are old. PC makers are selling the same old notebook designs they did 8 years ago, and consumers know it.Bottom line - PC makers need to raise prices to produce premium products with premium margins to fund new R&D to complete against Apple. If they just wait for Microsoft to solve their Apple problem, it will be too late, and they too will suffer Microsoft's fate.[/citation]
it's people ipeople buy "teh shinnies" and don't know the crap that's under the hood

 

[godwhomismike]

I'd say no. People are flocking to buy Apple computers, even here where I work. But, what is interesting is the amount of iMacs we buy, and how many come back for us to make a monster sized partition on it, and install Microsoft Windows on it in boot camp, and set it to boot straight to Windows. Everyone wants an iMac, but a great deal of them are only using Windows on it. In my area, I am using OSX on a Macbook, and everyone else around me is using Windows only on their Macs. I'd say Windows is going to be sticking around for quite some time.

 

[TEAMSWITCHER]

[citation][nom]captjack5169[/nom]I would agree with this except for one tiny problem. People are versed in going to best buy or buying there systems from HP/Dell. I learned from experience if the system has to be top end, build it yourself. Other people buy big box computers from the big box stores pays my paycheck because unless they paid top dollar for it, and sometimes even when they do, the damn thing doesn't last. I tell people all the time if you want it to last spend the money on the good stuff. They don't I always here, omg its going to cost how much to fix that, I can buy a new one for that, and usually its like half of what new one costs. I mean who the hell buys a new desktop for $400 and expects it to last. Thats like buy a car for $200 and expecting to run. I don't get it. Do we need need nicer look equipment? Yah... are people going to pay what it costs to get the nicer looking better equipped. Not Likely.[/citation]

I'm not talking about desktop computers. I'm talking about Laptops and Tablets. These are devices that most consumers want these days. Whenever someone asks me if they should build their own desktop, I say "Why, is this the 1990's?" Laptops and tablets are the present and future of the consumer industry. Desktops are for corporate luddites, architects, and engineers...not consumers.

 

[Parsian]

ROFL the author clearly lives in apple's wonderland

 

[azetec]

These days Apple is paying a lot of publications including TomsHardware to praise their products and to bash competition products.

Apple spreads so much bullshit these days that they should be called instead the "Rotten Apple"

And since they spread so much bullshit their products must be bullshit too.

 

[theuerkorn]

For the desktop world, Microsoft is likely to remain dominant as it is with businesses. BUT with the dawn of cloud computing, it's going to be increasingly harder for them to remain relevant. (I personally don't like the security issues associated with clouds.)

 

[jfby]

First Microsoft still has a very strong hold on the consumer electronics market (OS mainly) and an abundunce of cash. If they keep doing what they are doing then in 5-10 years they will fall to the wayside. The fact that they are aware the industry is changing will allow them to stay ahead of the curve, hire talent to help take them to the 'next age' of consumer business.

Second is that Apple's mistreatment of it's fans will not be ignored forever. Enough iPhone 4 launch type incidents and people will take notice. I don't think Apple will die or go away, but I don't think they will ever usurp and dominate the way Microsoft did.

I don't think Microsoft will ever be as dominant as they once were, either.

 

[qwed88]

I prefer "crApple"
[citation][nom]theuerkorn[/nom]For the desktop world, Microsoft is likely to remain dominant as it is with businesses. BUT with the dawn of cloud computing, it's going to be increasingly harder for them to remain relevant. (I personally don't like the security issues associated with clouds.)[/citation]

 

[wildwell]

Kinda of, if by dying you mean they peaked with consumers 10 years ago. That doesn't mean they won't experience future growth in the consumer electronics segment. They are still a major player in the video game market and have the resources to do the kind of research and product development to put out that next big thing. Besides, what's wrong with growth in the business sector?

 

[jaywed]

I claim shenanigans

 

[TEAMSWITCHER]

[citation][nom]2real[/nom]it's people ipeople buy "teh shinnies" and don't know the crap that's under the hood[/citation]

But it's not crap and that's my point, that PC makers and fanboys like you look at Apple and scoff, but you've got nothing to back that up. With the iPad Apple is now the largest computer company in the US. PC makers need to take the threat seriously, or start down-sizing.

 

[megamanx00]

As long as they have Windows, XBox, and the Visual Studio that developers are over dependent on (but it makes some things so easy) they aren't going anywhere. Yeah MS is an evil empire and yes CNN is right that it's sucked at more than a few things, but saying it's gonna crumble because it failed at a few things like the Zune is like saying Google is gonna collapse because Buzz was a failure. What a bunch of bull.