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Apple is Officially Worth More than Microsoft

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Re: Apple is Officially Worth More than Microsoft

#41

Post by jacquesm »

norswap wrote: post #39
jacquesm wrote: post #6

Interesting tidbit, when you scroll down the page to the end where the logos are displayed, the apple logo looks new, shiny and modern, the microsoft logo looks old and boring. Their corporate images reflect the logos quite well. edit: funny moderation here, would you mind telling me why ? Apple logo on the page not shiny ? Microsoft logo not old and boring ? Or do you - mistakenly - take me for an apple fanboy or so…

So irrelevant. Apple logo is indeed shiny, but it's 90ies-shiny. I much prefer Microsoft logo.

Not so irrelevant. I have no dog in this fight, I prefer linux over either, but the image that those companies project is very important in their contact with their target audience.

When given a choice between an ipod and a zune with twice the storage capacity the majority of teen-agers would probably pick the ipod.

When you sell consumer stuff 'cool' matters.

Microsoft always has to balance their business image with their 'cool' image and in most (hardware) consumer products (other than the Xbox) they seem to fail at that. Phones that run windows CE are (rightfully) seen as old fashioned, the zune was dead on arrival and so on.

Cool & shiny really matter.

Re: Apple is Officially Worth More than Microsoft

#42

Post by ekanes »

hugh3 wrote: post #35
apphacker wrote: post #26

Did MG Siegler just violate SEC laws by not disclosing if he owns Apple stock and telling thousands of his readers that Apple stock will continue to increase?

Are SEC laws that easy to violate? Hey everybody, I think Apple stock is going to continue to increase! I may or may not own Apple stock.

It makes sense. Without a law like that, people with circulation/influence could manipulate the markets by buying, boosting and selling.

Re: Apple is Officially Worth More than Microsoft

#44

Post by dflock »

jacquesm wrote: post #6

Interesting tidbit, when you scroll down the page to the end where the logos are displayed, the apple logo looks new, shiny and modern, the microsoft logo looks old and boring. Their corporate images reflect the logos quite well. edit: funny moderation here, would you mind telling me why ? Apple logo on the page not shiny ? Microsoft logo not old and boring ? Or do you - mistakenly - take me for an apple fanboy or so…

I don't know about the moderation, but what you said is entirely subjective - and quite possibly simply your perceptions of the two companies projected onto their logo's. You could equally well say that the MS logo on that page is elegant, simple and understated, while the Apple logo looks cheap, plasticy and tacky. Either personal opinion would be equally valid, just looking at the two logo's on that page.

Re: Apple is Officially Worth More than Microsoft

#45

Post by ergo98 »

zmitri wrote: post #40
ergo98 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Goldman Sachs has a P/E ratio of 5.94. Microsoft's P/E is heavily "discounted" because it's considered a sort of swan song of easy money (the Windows and Office empire that they've coasted on). Apple's is considered the beginning of things. Stock value today isn't based on today, it's based on "tomorrow".

Just so you know, Goldman Sachs' P/E has nothing to do with this discussion. GS is a player in an entirely different industry and it is useless to compare this one statistic between two tech companies.

>Goldman Sachs' P/E has nothing to do with this discussion

Nothing? Don't you think that's a little strong?

P/E reflects growth prospects, and a large, established financial company has limited growth prospects. Just as a large, established, coasting tech company tends to have lower P/E ratios. GS lives in an industry with lower P/E ratios, but saying that it has "nothing" to do with it is terribly wrong.

Re: Apple is Officially Worth More than Microsoft

#46

Post by evo_9 »

The thing that's most interesting about all this is the predicament that Microsoft now finds itself in. They just lost two top guys - J. Allard & Robbie Bach - and you have to wonder just how rudderless Microsoft is at the moment. They've invested heavily in their core tech - mostly a good idea - but then they have really nothing to compete with Apple or Google in the mobile space, at least until their new phone os hits (and even then it faces a serious uphill battle). Balmer is probably wishing he had bought Palm at this point.

I wonder if Bach and/or Allard end up at Google... a GBox has a nice ring to it actually.

Re: Apple is Officially Worth More than Microsoft

#47

Post by jacquesm »

dflock wrote: post #44
jacquesm wrote: post #6

Interesting tidbit, when you scroll down the page to the end where the logos are displayed, the apple logo looks new, shiny and modern, the microsoft logo looks old and boring. Their corporate images reflect the logos quite well. edit: funny moderation here, would you mind telling me why ? Apple logo on the page not shiny ? Microsoft logo not old and boring ? Or do you - mistakenly - take me for an apple fanboy or so…

I don't know about the moderation, but what you said is entirely subjective - and quite possibly simply your perceptions of the two companies projected onto their logo's. You could equally well say that the MS logo on that page is elegant, simple and understated, while the Apple logo looks cheap, plasticy and tacky. Either personal opinion would be equally valid, just looking at the two logo's on that page.

Apple has adapted their logo over the years - and their website - to reflect the changing times, microsoft has kept their logo the same for a very long time.

Now there is something to be said for keeping your logo the same, possibly forever. But the crowd that apple appeals to and that they intend to sell their gadgets and computers to loves shiny stuff, and apple is very good at making shiny stuff. It stands to reason they'd adapt their logo to that.

Microsoft has a much stronger presence in the corporate world and I think that is why their logo looks the way it does and why they don't want to change it too much. They try not to be a fashion statement, apple tries very hard to be one.

Re: Apple is Officially Worth More than Microsoft

#48

Post by WilliamLP »

FraaJad wrote: post #12
mootothemax wrote: post #4

Wow, that happened a lot faster than I thought it would. Well, to be honest, I think I wanted Apple to overtake Microsoft more than I ever thought I'd see it happen. I wonder if in a few years from now Facebook'll overtake MS and Apple? ;)

The problem with facebook is it does not produce any value unlike Microsoft and Apple. Both Apple and Microsoft's product help people create stuff, get things done, entertain themselves. Facebook does a tiny bit of entertaining and socializing, it is no where near MSFT or AAPL in terms of having a tangible impact on people's lives.

> Facebook does a tiny bit of entertaining and socializing,

Many people have had countless friendships reconnected and met other new people as a direct result of Facebook being as linked up as it is. Whether "tangible" or not, this is at least as valuable as an iPod to many.

Re: Apple is Officially Worth More than Microsoft

#49

Post by jacquesm »

evo_9 wrote: post #46

The thing that's most interesting about all this is the predicament that Microsoft now finds itself in. They just lost two top guys - J. Allard & Robbie Bach - and you have to wonder just how rudderless Microsoft is at the moment. They've invested heavily in their core tech - mostly a good idea - but then they have really nothing to compete with Apple or Google in the mobile space, at least until their new phone os h…

> a GBox has a nice ring to it actually.

Let's not go there ok ?

Re: Apple is Officially Worth More than Microsoft

#50

Post by glhaynes »

TheSOB88 wrote: post #24
jpablo wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll bet facebook has more impact than Apple. Apple makes your iPod, that let's me listen to music. Facebook creates your social life (for a lot of people it does).

I disagree. For me, the only way Facebook helps me socially is as a sort of phone book and with events. Catching up over Facebook seems a useless event compared to conversing IRL. Besides, an inordinate amount of people use it as a game system with a leaderboard. Facebook's value isn't really social at all. It's pseudosocial.

You don't personally use it to socialize so you say they don't provide value for the tens of millions who do and apparently get enjoyment from it. ... OK.
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