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Worries That Microsoft Is Too Tricky to Manage

nytimes.com

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Re: Worries That Microsoft Is Too Tricky to Manage

#3
Why is this a worry for Microsoft, but not Google and Apple? This isn't really tackled until the last sentence of the article, and even then, they say that Google and Apple are more focused.

Is that correct? or do Google and Apple just have one larger profit maker with many smaller profit-makers or loss-leaders?

Re: Worries That Microsoft Is Too Tricky to Manage

#4

Why is this a worry for Microsoft, but not Google and Apple? This isn't really tackled until the last sentence of the article, and even then, they say that Google and Apple are more focused. Is that correct? or do Google and Apple just have one larger profit maker with many smaller profit-makers or loss-leaders?

There really is no comparison between the number of products and divisions Microsoft has compared to Google or Apple. For goodness sakes, Microsoft Studios probably has more video games that it developed than Google has products.

Put another way, Microsoft makes alternatives for all the products that both Google and Apple combined make plus a gaming division and enterprise software.

Re: Worries That Microsoft Is Too Tricky to Manage

#6

It's worrying for MS that for all the major divisions shown in that image, I've never once thought of or used them in relation to each other. MS has no unifying experience to build on in consumer consciousness.

I dunno...I think Exchange and Office (outlook) work OK together, but that is probably the exception that proves the rule.

Re: Worries That Microsoft Is Too Tricky to Manage

#7

Why is this a worry for Microsoft, but not Google and Apple? This isn't really tackled until the last sentence of the article, and even then, they say that Google and Apple are more focused. Is that correct? or do Google and Apple just have one larger profit maker with many smaller profit-makers or loss-leaders?

As a matter of fact, yes.

Apple has a very few products and is quite famous for that.

Google is focused on selling ads. Yes, it has a lot of other products, but in the end, most of them are about selling ads (and getting more information about the user, so they can sell ads better).

What is Microsoft focused on?

Re: Worries That Microsoft Is Too Tricky to Manage

#8
post #7

Why is this a worry for Microsoft, but not Google and Apple? This isn't really tackled until the last sentence of the article, and even then, they say that Google and Apple are more focused. Is that correct? or do Google and Apple just have one larger profit maker with many smaller profit-makers or loss-leaders?

As a matter of fact, yes. Apple has a very few products and is quite famous for that. Google is focused on selling ads. Yes, it has a lot of other products, but in the end, most of them are about selling ads (and getting more information about the user, so they can sell ads better). What is Microsoft focused on?

Microsoft is focused on selling windows licenses.

The xbox and its ecosystem is the exception.

Re: Worries That Microsoft Is Too Tricky to Manage

#9

It's worrying for MS that for all the major divisions shown in that image, I've never once thought of or used them in relation to each other. MS has no unifying experience to build on in consumer consciousness.

I dunno...I think Exchange and Office (outlook) work OK together, but that is probably the exception that proves the rule.

Exchange is in the Office division.

Re: Worries That Microsoft Is Too Tricky to Manage

#10
post #8
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a matter of fact, yes. Apple has a very few products and is quite famous for that. Google is focused on selling ads. Yes, it has a lot of other products, but in the end, most of them are about selling ads (and getting more information about the user, so they can sell ads better). What is Microsoft focused on?

Microsoft is focused on selling windows licenses. The xbox and its ecosystem is the exception.

"Windows licenses" alone probably include more distinct SKUs than Apple has total products. A lot of that is just inherent to enterprise vs. consumer, but even then, Microsoft has lots of complexity, seemingly on purpose, while Apple tried to be minimalist.
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