Of the big three, Microsoft, Google, and Apple, how do you rank them?
Paul O'Brien
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Paul O'Brien
Economic Development for Entrepreneurs and Innovation; publisher of Startup Economist. I help governments build ecosystems where entrepreneurs thrive, and venture capital wants to pay attention.
This blew up on Quora with 60,000 people now debating it with me. So I want to know what you think; my bet on best to worst:
- Microsoft. They just landed the half billion dollar AR contract with the DoD, they own the only dominant and respected social network not getting skewered by governments (this one: LinkedIn), they own one of the 3 dominant gaming platforms (the entertainment industry which dwarfs all others), they own GitHub meaning they're right at the epicenter of development, they're investing heavily in bringing their Office suite back to its place on top, and their Surface work suggests they're looking to the next iteration of the computing experience.
- Google. Mostly though because they aren't going anywhere. They are the Advertising industry today and with Facebook getting torpedoed left and right about privacy and data, the only big online media threat to that ad empire has other things to worry about. Their investment in smarthome/car reinforces that they know they need to own the pipeline of our lives, Fiber was an indicator of that but that progress is iffy. Lastly they're over Apple when it comes to mobile because despite the Apple fan club, we can't overlook the fact that Android is what, 80% of the market?? Data is King and Google wears that crown… but… everyone knows that and our global and desire for more transparent world has people throwing everything at the data economy and that will chip away at Google which is essentially a monopoly of it today. Let's be honest too, middlish of the three because Google invests in a lot of missed; and those misses, frankly, are often in services that they shouldn't even be trying to compete in.
- Apple. The heart and soul are gone. iPhone is a luxury good in a commodity space. iTunes just can't compete with Amazon and Google, plus Spotify and more, establishing how we'll consume and pay for music. Apple TV… sure, Roku and Fire are where chord cutters go; no one cutting the cable model really wants to be stuck in Apple's constraints instead.
What, no Facebook?? Come on, you really think so?
Your take?
Software Architect and Author
6 年For me (personally), its Google/Gmail vs. Microsoft/LinkedIn
Software Architect and Author
6 年It's Google/Gmail vs. MS/LinkedIn for me at the moment.
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6 年Personally Paul on many of your points I agree.? In bullet number one I think MicroSoft had no choice but to upgrade their Office Suite or risk having customers flee to the free competition which for the average person and small business is good enough.? I love that first line of bullet three: the I-Phone is a luxury device in a commodity driven market.? Personally I fail to see the added value of paying 200 to 300% more for an I-Phone than an Android.? On bullet number two I believe it is only a matter of time before people figure out Google is just as bad with privacy as FaceBook.? Google is just better at keeping it on the down low, however, its YouTube subsidiary is already freely spoken about not for privacy but censoring.?? Thank you Paul for sharing and allowing me the opportunity to put my thoughts into logical words.? ?