Yes, if Windows 8 results in many people switching to Apple and/or keeping Windows 7 as long as possible, it could harm Microsoft's bottom line. There's definitely a learning curve with Windows 8 -- even with hardware designed for it (touch screen + touchpad) -- and a frustration curve (that might not be overcome) without appropriate hardware.
The iPad mini doesn't generate that level of frustration!
I certainly agree that enterprises still running Windows XP have a greater incentive to upgrade to Windows 8 for the reasons you discussed and also because there are some good features for consumers and enterprises that definitely make it useful to upgrade from XP and, perhaps, somewhat useful to upgrade from Windows 7 to 8.
Also, with all new Windows PCs bundled with Windows 8, people will be getting it whether they want it or not (the ability to downgrade notwithstanding). This could spark people to consider Windows Phone 8 and/or a Windows RT/Windows 8 Pro tablet.
However, the dramatic Metro GUI change in Windows 8 and the advantage of buying new hardware or new accessories optimized for 8, might give many consumers and some enterprises pause. If they have to use a different paradigm, perhaps it might be time to switch to OS X. After all, many employees already bring their iPhones and iPads to work, and many enterprises are testing or rolling out iPads. We'll see how much enterprises want the iPad mini in the next six to 12 months.
I very much agree, Alan. For MSFT to get a strong foothold in the mobile market, it would seem that the time to strike is now -- and that they've got to strike hard. Clearly the Win 8 strategy is about that.
That said, the timing in relation to XP's phaseout and organizations' migration plans (or lack thereof in some cases!) is an added bonus. For those who haven't yet migrated to Win 7, and are now further pushed by the fact that 1) they are now TWO OS's behind and 2) the hourglass sands on XP support are fast running out, the thinking is all the more likely to be, "Hmm... we haven't upgraded yet... so we may as well skip Win 7 and go straight to Win 8, to be as ahead of the curve as we can." This will only feed into MSFT's strategy all the more -- spurring further adoption of Win 8 mobile devices for those organizations who adopt it.
I think Microsoft is looking at a much bigger picture. It's seeing the change in usage from desktops and many laptops to smartphones and tablets. And, it has been rushing to get Windows 8 ready for the holidays, although it missed the school buying season.
Although Microsoft makes money whether people upgrade to Windows 7 or 8, Windows 8 is about the changing use of devices.
Yes, the tragedy of Apple fandom. The Oatmeal summed it up nicely here.
One wonders if part of the rhyme and reason behind the timing of Win 8's release (other than to get a leg up on the mobile market) is to further spur Win 7 adoption by the XP-clingers.
Apple's hardware margins typically have remained high, but its pricing on some products has become competitive or relatively so. Two examples: the iPad and MacBook Air. Since their introduction, manufacturers have struggled to develop tablets and notebooks (i.e., Ultrabooks) that offer the design, fit and finish, capabilities -- and prices -- of these two products.
The Verge's editor-in-chief, Joshua Topolsky, called seven-inch tablets "toys" compared to the iPad mini because of the quality of the mini's construction. I think he later relented, somewhat.
Owning an Apple product says a variety of things about a person, at least based on generalizations. The products do appeal to people who care about -- or who want to be seen as caring about -- design.
Owning the newest of anything is a statement, especially Apple products, which is why some people are very upset that Apple introduced another new 9.7-inch iPad, thus making theirs (and mine!) old news.
Of course, enterprises often don't care much about new. Indeed, in many instances, such as new operating systems, newness could be a disadvantage (Hello Windows 8 v.1).
It's interesting to see these business models colliding: Apple needs to maintain its hardware margins, but it's now producing a device much closer to that produced by companies which don't. Hence, I guess, Amazon's insistence that the Kindle Fire outperforms the iPad mini in some respects.
Re: "Of course there will be cheap Asian knockoffs of the iPad mini. But with the cost of the Amazon Kindle and the Nexus tablets at $200 or less, there's less incentive for many people to buy junk."
...excepting, of course, that there is a large contingent of people who will buy a polished you-know-what so long as it has the Apple logo on it. These fanbois/fangrrls would be the primary target market.
Apple is more than a product; it's a fashion statement.
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Recently, the Obama administration has been of two minds where privacy rights are concerned. On one hand, you have an administration that vowed to veto CISPA and mandated open data for government websites. On the other hand, you have an increasingly out-of-control Department of Justice on a fishing expedition at AP and demanding legislation to let the FBI wiretap private, encrypted communications and levy fines if a company fails to comply.
The apartment and house sharing service, Airbnb, now requires members to verify their identities by demonstrating a presence on the web, and by either scanning a government ID or entering detailed personal details. Other enterprises should take a close look at Airbnb's verification policies.
Facebook advertising is a lightning rod. It seems neither brands nor consumers are 100 percent happy about the social media site's policies, placement, or procedures. But the real controversy about Facebook ads and promotions is over whether they work.
By now, you've most likely heard about the 3D-printed gun that Texas-based Defense Distributed demonstrated last week. But we haven't heard the last about the censorship war that began soon afterward.
New York's Metropolitan Transit Authority is conducting a pilot test of digital kiosks to guide subway users to where they want to go more efficiently and at lower cost.
The whole Amazon.reader debate is a double-stupid. It's stupid to think that there's any e-book buyer who doesn't know Amazon's URL, and it was stupider to let ICANN launch the whole free-form TLD initiative to start with.
While NFC's original goal was to enhance mobile commerce applications, it is finding its way into a number of other uses, which is creating both opportunity as well as challenges for IT departments.
Enterprises would like to move to cloud computing but are hesitant because they are concerned about providers’ ability to secure company data. Here are some tips that help to ensure that if breaches occur, the business is not left holding the bag.
Edmunds separates customers into segments based on the info it collects on its site and from partners, and uses that to push out custom content, said Brian Baron, director of business analytics for Edmunds.com, at Predictive Analytics Innovation Summit.
The automotive website uses propensity modeling to target ads and customer registration forms, said Brian Baron, director of business analytics for Edmunds.com, at Predictive Analytics Innovation Summit.
Subsidized handsets, rather than locked handsets, should be the focus of regulators. We're not getting good deals, not fostering innovation, and weakening our power as buyers.
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