I’ve always joked that it’s easier for us to find life on Mars than for Apple to unseat Microsoft as the king of the computer market. But realistically speaking there are a few reasons why Apple will never unseat Microsoft unless…
- Availability is one of the major reasons why Microsoft has become so popular. Thanks to the idea that Bill Gates had to put a computer in every home Microsoft has been seen all around the world from Los Angeles all the way to Tokyo. This means that as Microsoft moves on in the US many other countries that now use their products will move along with them.
- Habit: we humans are creatures of habit and nothing has sown us this fact better than history. While we cannot say that a whole generation has grown up in Microsoft’s backyard it sure seems like that. Many Apple fanatics will agree with this point that the major thing holding Apple back is the fact that people do not like change. If they are used to something chances are they are going to stick with that even if something can outperform what they are currently using (not to say that Apple outperforms Vista).
- Price: One of Microsoft’s major advantages and Apple’s big weak link. Although it might not seem like a lot it’s not impossible to see that Apple is a lot more expensive than Microsoft. Where can you get an Apple system in the sub 300’s? Yet Microsoft has been able to manufacture systems in the economic range. While they do not carry the same performance as many of the bigger systems, it’s still affordable for families, individuals and companies who might not be able to afford a better system.
- Customizability: Ask any gamer if they would trade their Alien Ware or Dell XPS for a Macbook Pro and the resounding answer will be NO. While you might be able to get a knock off of the Apple OS X on a mobile phone (something Microsoft has done with its Window’s Mobile for years) yet you still do not have OS X tablet PC’s, gaming rigs, or dedicated systems for such things as programming, CAD or 3D animation. This gives Microsoft a huge advantage which means that Microsoft has built an OS that is able to run in a multitude of devices and thus secure itself a spot in the digital revolution.
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Last but not least is integration. Microsoft X-Box integrates with Windows Media Center. Now you have Window’s Home Server which allows you to store all your data such as pictures movies and videos (even work documents) on a server in your own house and access it from any computer in the world (granted internet is available). And now with the addition of their new MP3 player - the Zune it’s going to be a touch challenge but its looking like Apple iPod finally has some real competition.
