The two titans of industry from the ‘Good Old Days’ (Image Credit Flickr / whatcounts)
It was only last night I lay in bed as I normally due glued to my phone like you expect any Generation Y or Millennial to be. From looking at funny stuff on cats, Donald Trump news, checking out the crazy universe of Twitter and even checking out a bit of my favourite YouTube Bloggers; I saw an article that I was one day expecting on RT titled:
Peter Thiel is Co-Founder of PayPal and as I went through this fantastic article it talked about Apple’s first actual decline year on year in 15 years. Quoting RT: “Apple’s annual sales fell to $216 billion in the 2016 fiscal year ending September 30, down from a record $234 billion the year before.”
Since the late and very awesome Steve Jobs died (God Rest his Soul), many analysts including myself called that it would be the end of Apple’s super dominance in the tech space. Interestingly it took a few years for the residual of Steve Job’s brilliance to clear and then you say Apple really get into ‘same old same old mode’.
What was interesting about all this being a Microsoft / PC buff, is that there was a point where things looked really bad for Microsoft. Their operating system was tired, the original Surface Devices were just awful and the ‘entertainment’ side just wasn’t that good. Even as a Microsoft lover, my own ‘faith’ was tested (even owning an iPhone and iPad at once point).
Even though Microsoft did get arrogant and drop the ball; to their massive credit they picked it up hard today and they are now superior in many areas. Surface Laptops & Tablets, Microsoft 365 Cloud, Windows 10, Skype for Business, XBOX and also they are the Mapping Backend / Technical partners of Facebook.
I ask even the most hardened Apple Zealot to tell me where Apple leads today? I ask that from not emotion, but actually in measurable benefits to the customer. Apple use to lead in almost everything but these days here is where they are at:
- Tablets: Google owns the cheaper tablets and Microsoft owns the Premium end. Apple is stuck in the middle.
- Phones: Under very stiff competition from Samsung and other players, Google now has its “Pixel” phone and Apple just ripped out the earphone jack.
- Apple Music: One word “Spotify Free” (okay two words).
- Apple Video & Movies: Even YouTube does Premium movies now (and it’s really good).
- Gaming: Microsoft owns the top end of the market and Google has more Apps in its store now.
- Cloud Software: Apple never nailed this.
- Mapping: Google owns it.
- Desktops: Windows 10 on say Dell or HP – massive winner.
- Mobile Computing: Microsoft and everyone else owns it.
- Design: Windows 10 is heavy touch screen now, I don’t see Apple with that.
And the list goes on. I objectively cannot think beyond personal preference where Apple actually leads and their revenue is now dropping.
My prediction, thinking and lessons? Apple will always be there. It’s not going to go broke, but it will go from being a dominant mass market brand to more it’s ‘speciality corner’ where it used to live. I predict Microsoft really taking over the market in many areas. This is based on current directions; of course you only need a new ‘Steve Jobs’ to rise from the ashes anywhere to disrupt everything…
My lessons from this? If Apple can decline then so can us. Stay vigilant, working on everything and progressive so you stay ahead.
Love your work, thank you for the read and stay awesome!
2 Responses
Or will the tech space be invaded by yet another new technology innovator? No doubt the Apple product has slumped, and sales are a testament to the fact.
But innovation is the unknown quantity in what is increasingly a fickle market with one technology superseding another in ever reducing time-frames.
I would never presume to discount the giants such as Microsoft, HP, IBM and the like within their sandpit.
When I hear that a developer from backwater Australia is on the phone with Apple to discuss mods to SIRI, things tell me the lines are blurring, and cross-pollination will inevitably lead to mergers and acquisitions.
I say watch this space.
True true wonderful William – Microsoft and Facebook have been buying up lots of these tech innovators! By the time they get really big, they are owned by one of them now.