You might have noticed how Microsoft don’t really have a big foot in the smart-phone market. It’s unusual for such a big and previously successful company to arguably be almost forgotten about, but that looks set to change.
Currently, the big two players in the smart phone market are Apple and Android. Apple are continuing a run of unprecedented success since the launch of their first iPod, which lead onto further successes in the iPhone and iPad. It seems like there’s almost no stopping them, but Android has done a relatively good job as Apple’s previously unknown challenger.
Why are Android and Apple so Popular?
Microsoft used to be the biggest player in the computer and technology market. In recent years, their
market share has decreased somewhat. They’re still a massive multi-billion dollar company, but they’re no longer number 1. In the 80s and 90s, Apple was seen as the “alternative” choice, and wasn’t as mainstream – nowadays the two companies have almost swapped roles. Apple is the fashionable and mainstream number 1, and Microsoft wants some of their market share back.
Apple smart phones have been an unprecedented success. The advent of “Apps” has provided users countless functions and facilities – your phone can now be used for hundreds (or thousands) of different things. Although usability is key, Apple still operates a “closed” system where all software has to be bought through them – and all products have to be “ok’d” by Apple before they can enter the market.
In stark contrast to this, Google’s Android system provides an open-source platform that has also attracted millions of users. The key difference is that anyone can develop and publish software. The great thing about this means that users across the planet can make and improve software for the Android and help it grow together. It also means that many of the apps are free, as opposed to Apple.
One of the main reasons why Apple is so successful is because they’ve managed to design items that are “cool” and desirable. They might not have been the first to the market, nor do their products offer the best features, but they’ve spent millions on design and managed to gain countless followers.
What does Microsoft have to do?
Entering the market without any real foothold is going to be difficult for Microsoft, but the company has been through it’s own challenges before. They’ve still got billions of dollars to spend on research and development, so hopefully they will come up with some popular offerings. One of the key advantages Microsoft has is that although they might not be number 1 in the mobile communication market, billions of people still use their software on a daily basis. Windows is still much more prevalent than Mac OS, and if they can find a way to provide an ease of connectivity between the two platforms, they could be onto a winner.
This Article was written by Peter Linton who has been following the technology market for many years now. Whilst smart phones might be popular, they’re still expensive. You can find out if you’re eligible for a free cell phone from the Government.
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