4 ms·

Does anyone else think that nearly all huge companies exist due to monopolies or near-monopolies? MS has monopoly on desktops. Apple on cell phones and tablets.

Does anyone else think that nearly all huge companies exist due to monopolies or near-monopolies? MS has monopoly on desktops. Apple on cell phones and tablets. Facebook on social networking. Google on search. I think any market without at least 3-4 strong competitors will devolve into one dominant player who can milk more from the customer base.

adventurer 10y ago
Aside from 2008-9ish where they had around 50% and Blackberry was king, Apple has had a very small share of the mobile phone market. There is a myriad of competitors. The tablet share is up there but not to facebook or ms windows levels of having almost no competition.
EduardoBautista 10y ago
Android has a higher market share than iOS. How does that make Apple a monopoly?
- mrgreenfur 10y ago
  Fair point.
- bluejekyll 10y ago
  They definitely have a monopoly in my house...
- paulddraper 10y ago
  A more apt comparison would be Apple (iOS) vs Samsung (Android) vs LG (Android) vs Motorola (Android). And Apple has the most mobile device profits. Still, I agree: nowhere near a monopoly.
stinkytaco 10y ago
Part of the issue here is defining "market" and their scope. MS has a monopoly on desktops, but how much impact does that have with people increasingly shifting off the desktop? How do you define Facebook's market? If it's "social media" does that include blogging? twitter? email?
valuearb 10y ago
How does MS have a monopoly on desktops? I have three desktops in my house, and no microsoft software running on any of them. Markets don't devolve into "monopolies" very often. In Microsofts case, it had an operating system that provided massive economies of scale to customers. You could run it on any compatible PC and be guaranteed to be able run hundreds of leading applications. Most businesses are significantly more productive with 100% windows than 50% windows and 50% other platforms. The only reason Apple Mac OS is in corporate America is because of it's special advantages in specific uses. It's always been too expensive to equip everyone with a Mac, esp. your lowest paid order entry/support types. Most markets don't grow economies of scale for their customers in that manner. The advantage of having all of your sales people drive Fords instead of a mix of cars is a minor one from a fleet purchase perspective. And the same advantage can be had with a fleet purchase agreement with virtually any competitor.

adventurer 10y ago

Aside from 2008-9ish where they had around 50% and Blackberry was king, Apple has had a very small share of the mobile phone market. There is a myriad of competitors. The tablet share is up there but not to facebook or ms windows levels of having almost no competition.

EduardoBautista 10y ago

Android has a higher market share than iOS. How does that make Apple a monopoly?

mrgreenfur 10y ago
Fair point.
bluejekyll 10y ago
They definitely have a monopoly in my house...
paulddraper 10y ago
A more apt comparison would be Apple (iOS) vs Samsung (Android) vs LG (Android) vs Motorola (Android). And Apple has the most mobile device profits. Still, I agree: nowhere near a monopoly.

stinkytaco 10y ago

Part of the issue here is defining "market" and their scope. MS has a monopoly on desktops, but how much impact does that have with people increasingly shifting off the desktop? How do you define Facebook's market? If it's "social media" does that include blogging? twitter? email?

valuearb 10y ago

How does MS have a monopoly on desktops? I have three desktops in my house, and no microsoft software running on any of them. Markets don't devolve into "monopolies" very often. In Microsofts case, it had an operating system that provided massive economies of scale to customers. You could run it on any compatible PC and be guaranteed to be able run hundreds of leading applications. Most businesses are significantly more productive with 100% windows than 50% windows and 50% other platforms. The only reason Apple Mac OS is in corporate America is because of it's special advantages in specific uses. It's always been too expensive to equip everyone with a Mac, esp. your lowest paid order entry/support types. Most markets don't grow economies of scale for their customers in that manner. The advantage of having all of your sales people drive Fords instead of a mix of cars is a minor one from a fleet purchase perspective. And the same advantage can be had with a fleet purchase agreement with virtually any competitor.