Had Sony followed Microsoft’s lead and locked down its system, the issue would have been forgotten and considered the norm in a year or two. Now Microsoft is the outlier, imposing an unusual and draconian policy with little to no consumer benefit.
— http://mobile.theverge.com/2013/6/11/4418070/ps4-vs-xbox-one-e3-2013
Chris Dixon:
The mobile device industry is still in its infancy. Samsung’s fate depends largely on how the industry evolves. If the computer-in-your-pocket (smartphone/tablet) business ends up being like the computer-on-your-desk (personal computer) business, Samsung is on track to be the modern Dell. Dell had a good run as the low-cost provider in a highly commoditized business, but the vast majority of the industry profits went to Microsoft.
Good follow up to my thoughts on Samsung’s rise a few weeks back.
so who’s the Microsoft here? seems totally different than Dixon’s analysis, and the previous battles…
I think a big feature of the Apple Stores is that people know there is a place they can go to get questions answered, going back to an empty lot in six months might be a turn off.
Of course investing in long term retail operations is risky, especially when you are just mimicking another company’s actions, but not adopting the business model that supports those actions.
Mary Jo Foley with an update on Metro-gate:
A spokesperson is now saying the reason for this Metro de-emphasis is not related to any litigation. (I asked if it is related to any kind of copyright dispute that hasn’t yet gone to litigation and was told there would be no further comment.)
The spokesperson added:
“We have used Metro style as a code name during the product development cycle across many of our product lines. As we get closer to launch and transition from industry dialog to a broad consumer dialog we will use our commercial names.”
Oh! It was always the plan to move away from the name at the last second without another name ready to go. I see.
Riiiiiight….
Adds Foley:
(Hmm. I didn’t realize “Metro-Style was ever “just” a codename.)
What launch are they talking about? Windows Phone with Metro launched in 2010.
Well, that was fun. Guess I’ll see ya in another 5 years, Hotmail.
Same thing happened to me, then I tried the audio version for fun, oh my fucking god, is that what blind people have to actually do? I highly suggest trying it, the sound can’t be explained easily.
The contrast is then striking: Consumerized devices with over-the-air updates on a 12 month cycle are five times more agile than a traditional corporate Windows desktop. Another way to look at this is that for every change in a corporate desktop environment, the average user will change their device experience five times.
— OS turning circles: Questioning Windows’ maneuverability | asymco
The interface borrows and builds on concepts that Microsoft first used with Zune and Windows Phone. It uses Microsoft’s “Metro” design language: crisp text, simple geometric shapes, parallax scrolling, and no skeuomorphic pretense.
— Hands-on with Windows 8: A PC operating system for the tablet age
Google has now shown a lot of expertise at the fast follower or “copier” model with products like Google and Android. When Microsoft was good at this the company eventually ended up being labeled as innovative and I don’t think the company’s psyche ever recovered. Wonder if the same could happen with Google…
What the idea fails to explain is why companies fail (or succeed) as a cohort. RIM’s troubles are similar to Microsoft and to Nokia’s. Did they conspire or collude to fail simultaneously? Historically, incumbents fail simultaneously, regardless of who’s in charge.
