Apple is repeating history! And not in a good way.
Apple will lose the majority of the phone and tablet market in just a few years!
When Apple could have been the operating system of choice for the majority of desktops back in the late 80’s and early 90’s, they limited themselves to their own hardware, and opened the door for getting blown out by the competition, which was then, Microsoft and maybe IBM.
Just as Apple lost the majority in the desktop market in the 90’s, they are making the same mistakes and will loose the majority of the phone and tablet market. They are repeating history with the iPhone and iPad, and Google’s Android and Windows Phone 7 are going to be malleable and improved by dozen’s of different companies. One of these operating systems, my guess is Android, but don’t look passed Microsoft just yet, is going to have the majority of the phone and tablet markets. Apple, is going to end up again, with the smaller share.
Sure, just like the Apple computer is still around, somewhere between 20% and 30% market share, the iPhone and iPad will hang around with a good enough market share to be a solid company. Apple has nothing to worry about if they are fine not being the number one most used operating system on phones and tablets.
Apple will continue to be a more expensive model that isn’t as compatible with the rest of the world (do they have Flash yet?). Despite taking the lead in the smart phone and tablet markets, Apple will end up once again as a second, and maybe even a third choice.
My boss and a few coworkers (all developers) and others at my work have turned in their iPhone’s for Android phones and we have had the conversation I have just posted and we all agree on it. Our we right? Or is this just a geek/developer thing? We like control, and with Apple, they don’t give it to you.
It is interesting to see articles that already are hinting at this without exactly realizing it.
http://www.megatechnews.com/apple-ipad-2-post/
http://blogs.computerworld.com/17913/ipad_2_vs_android
Yep. I told my wife this very thing the other night. I run a lawn & pressure washing company that relies on constant communication and technology in the field and I switched from Apple to Android devices this year. It wasn't due to quality, but more so trend. Apple compatibility just became a problem. Updating all the time to newer hardware also became both problematic and expensive.
I feel no pity for Apple trying to capitalize on both hardware and software innovations. Instead of learning from their mistakes the first time, they are trying to perfect their age old business model with the exact same concept. When observing the markets, the exact same trend that took place in the 80s/90s, is happening as we speak. As for Microsoft and Android, for now it is Android but in the end Microsoft will consume the market, IMO. Nothing new. They may even have to share with Android like Microsoft had to do for a time with IBM during the 80s/90s era. History is repeating itself it seems. May be a good time to stock up on some Microsoft Shares.