6 ms·

Microsoft saw social and search and thought, "we must create our own!" While apple saw social and search, and said, "that's not our market, let's have google ha

by film42 13y ago

Microsoft saw social and search and thought, "we must create our own!" While apple saw social and search, and said, "that's not our market, let's have google handle that for us." Edit: Apple did acquire ping, but that was social music, which is a bit different. They also introduced siri, which simply plugged in to preexisting search services (Google in iOS 6, Bing in iOS7) so it really is agnostic on that front.

JulieCompt 13y ago
Apple tried social and search* with Ping and Siri. It flopped. But nobody holds it against Jobs
- publicfig 13y ago
  Did Siri flop?
  - tuananh 13y ago
    yes it did. I tried Google Now the other day. It blew my mind. Google Now understands every single words I said (Asian accent); As for Siri, 50% is kinda optimistic.
    - selter01 13y ago
      Is that what determines a flop, though? Siri is definitely known, and added value to the iphone and the apple brand overall. While I use Google Now and think it is superior, I'm not sure if performance would be enough to label Siri as a flop. Bing on the other hand, not so much.
      - tuananh 13y ago
        Probably the differences are only noticeable for non-native English speakers like me only. It's way too good that it makes me feel Siri is such a failure. Native speakers might not see a huge difference though.
        hnal943 13y ago
        I am a native English speaker and Siri constantly misunderstands me. Siri has become a punchline and certainly does not have the usual Apple Cool Factor.
  - untog 13y ago
    It's probably still to early to tell. But I don't see how anyone can dispute that Google Now is basically what Siri tried to do, but significantly better. I'm yet to see Apple's response to that.
- leetrout 13y ago
  I'm sure I'm in the minority but I don't consider ping a social network (nor do I Twitter, honestly). And that's just me. Twitter is so much more communication focused in my book where things like FB anf G+ have been more frivolous. I never thought of Siri as search. To me it was more about interfacing with your device.
jasonlotito 13y ago
Ping?
- acoleman616 13y ago
  Exactly.
ant512 13y ago
I think that's one of Microsoft's main failings. "Google are making baked beans? Why aren't we in the baked bean market? Let's make beans!" "What? Now Facebook are making Facebook Soda? We need to make Microsoft Soda!" Every time a tech company produces something new MS have to muscle in on the market, despite having a) no prior experience, b) no aptitude, c) existing products that could use their attention.
- 001sky 13y ago
  windows, Xbox and Explorer from the 90's...all mimic plays
- leetrout 13y ago
  It does feel like MS just shows up like that. Azure did (and does) give that impression; Zune, as well. And Surface tablets are also a clear response to the iPad (whether MS ever had anything in R&D previously or not, they certainly didn't ship). But I think Google is much more prone to jump in to a market with force, they just seem to execute "better" (I leave that open to interpretation). FB comes out and MS buys in whereas Google makes their own social network. Apple makes the iPhone and Google makes Android. Only much later (as the ship has already left port) does Microsoft come in with Windows Phone (I'm only considering 7 & 8). Somewhat related, I feel like MS and Dell were on target with the Axim from a product idea standpoint but Apple really capitalized on combining the functionality of a phone and forward thinking hardware and software design with iOS devices.
  - smacktoward 13y ago
    That's because that has been Microsoft's strategy from the beginning: let someone else take the risk of proving whether a market for something exists, and then, if it does, get in there quick with their own offering. They got into the PC OS business with MS-DOS after the Apple II; into the GUI business with Windows after the Mac; into the word-processor business with Word after WordPerfect; into the browser business with IE after Netscape, etc. This is an established enough business strategy there's a name for it: "fast follower." (See http://www.businessinsider.com/youre-better-off-being-a-fast-follower-than-an-originator-2010-10 http://www.businessinsider.com/youre-better-off-being-a-fast...).
leaffig 13y ago
What social property did Microsoft push heavily like Google does G+? Also MS was into search before Google was.
- protomyth 13y ago
  Microsoft bought into Facebook.
- alpha001 13y ago
  MSN (Live) spaces were somewhat popular at the time.

by film42 13y ago

JulieCompt 13y ago

Apple tried social and search* with Ping and Siri. It flopped. But nobody holds it against Jobs

publicfig 13y ago
Did Siri flop?
- tuananh 13y ago
  yes it did. I tried Google Now the other day. It blew my mind. Google Now understands every single words I said (Asian accent); As for Siri, 50% is kinda optimistic.
  - selter01 13y ago
    Is that what determines a flop, though? Siri is definitely known, and added value to the iphone and the apple brand overall. While I use Google Now and think it is superior, I'm not sure if performance would be enough to label Siri as a flop. Bing on the other hand, not so much.
    - tuananh 13y ago
      Probably the differences are only noticeable for non-native English speakers like me only. It's way too good that it makes me feel Siri is such a failure. Native speakers might not see a huge difference though.
      - hnal943 13y ago
        I am a native English speaker and Siri constantly misunderstands me. Siri has become a punchline and certainly does not have the usual Apple Cool Factor.
- untog 13y ago
  It's probably still to early to tell. But I don't see how anyone can dispute that Google Now is basically what Siri tried to do, but significantly better. I'm yet to see Apple's response to that.
leetrout 13y ago
I'm sure I'm in the minority but I don't consider ping a social network (nor do I Twitter, honestly). And that's just me. Twitter is so much more communication focused in my book where things like FB anf G+ have been more frivolous. I never thought of Siri as search. To me it was more about interfacing with your device.

jasonlotito 13y ago

Ping?

acoleman616 13y ago
Exactly.

ant512 13y ago

I think that's one of Microsoft's main failings. "Google are making baked beans? Why aren't we in the baked bean market? Let's make beans!" "What? Now Facebook are making Facebook Soda? We need to make Microsoft Soda!" Every time a tech company produces something new MS have to muscle in on the market, despite having a) no prior experience, b) no aptitude, c) existing products that could use their attention.

001sky 13y ago
windows, Xbox and Explorer from the 90's...all mimic plays
leetrout 13y ago
It does feel like MS just shows up like that. Azure did (and does) give that impression; Zune, as well. And Surface tablets are also a clear response to the iPad (whether MS ever had anything in R&D previously or not, they certainly didn't ship). But I think Google is much more prone to jump in to a market with force, they just seem to execute "better" (I leave that open to interpretation). FB comes out and MS buys in whereas Google makes their own social network. Apple makes the iPhone and Google makes Android. Only much later (as the ship has already left port) does Microsoft come in with Windows Phone (I'm only considering 7 & 8). Somewhat related, I feel like MS and Dell were on target with the Axim from a product idea standpoint but Apple really capitalized on combining the functionality of a phone and forward thinking hardware and software design with iOS devices.
- smacktoward 13y ago
  That's because that has been Microsoft's strategy from the beginning: let someone else take the risk of proving whether a market for something exists, and then, if it does, get in there quick with their own offering. They got into the PC OS business with MS-DOS after the Apple II; into the GUI business with Windows after the Mac; into the word-processor business with Word after WordPerfect; into the browser business with IE after Netscape, etc. This is an established enough business strategy there's a name for it: "fast follower." (See http://www.businessinsider.com/youre-better-off-being-a-fast-follower-than-an-originator-2010-10 http://www.businessinsider.com/youre-better-off-being-a-fast...).

leaffig 13y ago

What social property did Microsoft push heavily like Google does G+? Also MS was into search before Google was.

protomyth 13y ago
Microsoft bought into Facebook.
alpha001 13y ago
MSN (Live) spaces were somewhat popular at the time.