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Microsoft has been crushed by Android in mobile. From a once dominating position, Microsoft phone OS's now get lumped in the 'other' category when market share

Microsoft has been crushed by Android in mobile. From a once dominating position, Microsoft phone OS's now get lumped in the 'other' category when market share pie charts are illustrated. Despite patent licensing fees, Google's Android is free to use - or to fork as was done by Amazon. This is a resounding win for Linux. On the other hand Apple effectively gives away iOS when you buy or upgrade one of their mobile products. What niche is left for Microsoft - even if they do create some pretty awesome software?

sounds 14y ago
Oh I wouldn't write Microsoft off entirely yet. Nokia is probably a dodo at this point, but it would be a bit hasty to forget Microsoft's $60 billion in cash [1] I do think Microsoft is trying to apply PC-era tactics to embedded devices. It's like they're chatting up that hot girl who, it turns out, is a ninja assassin on a psycho killing spree. The only thing the embedded world produces with any regularity is bankrupt companies; what I'm saying is, companies like HTC and Samsung are used to an intensity that Nokia may never figure out. Microsoft is capable of surviving in the embedded world, but they probably won't "wake up" for another year at least. [1] http://finance.yahoo.com/q/ks?s=msft http://finance.yahoo.com/q/ks?s=msft
- SlipperySlope 14y ago
  Agree that technically mobile is embedded, but mobile is more popularly considered a separate market from embedded. For example, while a phone and a washing machine may have the same sort of CPU, most engineers consider these separate markets. Do you think that Steve Ballmer will be the one that wakes up, or does the board find a new chief executive?
  - sounds 14y ago
    I don't know if Ballmer will stay or not as CEO, but remember that he and his good friend Gates still have a controlling share of the company. What separates mobile from embedded won't shield mobile, or Microsoft, from the race-to-the-bottom, cloning, and short product lifespans that make embedded such a hard business to be in.
    - vidarh 14y ago
      > Gates still have a controlling share of the company. No, he doesn't. He holds around 6% of Microsoft. He lost his controlling stake with the Microsoft IPO in 1986

sounds 14y ago

Oh I wouldn't write Microsoft off entirely yet. Nokia is probably a dodo at this point, but it would be a bit hasty to forget Microsoft's $60 billion in cash [1] I do think Microsoft is trying to apply PC-era tactics to embedded devices. It's like they're chatting up that hot girl who, it turns out, is a ninja assassin on a psycho killing spree. The only thing the embedded world produces with any regularity is bankrupt companies; what I'm saying is, companies like HTC and Samsung are used to an intensity that Nokia may never figure out. Microsoft is capable of surviving in the embedded world, but they probably won't "wake up" for another year at least. [1] http://finance.yahoo.com/q/ks?s=msft http://finance.yahoo.com/q/ks?s=msft

SlipperySlope 14y ago
Agree that technically mobile is embedded, but mobile is more popularly considered a separate market from embedded. For example, while a phone and a washing machine may have the same sort of CPU, most engineers consider these separate markets. Do you think that Steve Ballmer will be the one that wakes up, or does the board find a new chief executive?
- sounds 14y ago
  I don't know if Ballmer will stay or not as CEO, but remember that he and his good friend Gates still have a controlling share of the company. What separates mobile from embedded won't shield mobile, or Microsoft, from the race-to-the-bottom, cloning, and short product lifespans that make embedded such a hard business to be in.
  - vidarh 14y ago
    > Gates still have a controlling share of the company. No, he doesn't. He holds around 6% of Microsoft. He lost his controlling stake with the Microsoft IPO in 1986