A certain fruity company sure has a tendency to go on the offensive when it is feeling under pressure. Sure, almost everyone in the computing technology industry is harried these days.
The competition is severely tough, after all, with nary a chance of a misstep.
Anyway, this happened. Apple introduced its new OS X Mavericks update yesterday at its launch event, and decided to offer it for free to users that are already running the core version of its operating system.
But the company used a rather unusual (some would say not all that unusual) approach during the launch party — it took a jab at not only Microsoft’s efforts in the tablet market, but also hypocritically slammed the new Windows 8 operating system.
Apple used a slide with a Windows 8 retail package to show the audience the difference between its approach and Microsoft’s method. The slide pointed out that Microsoft actually charges users up to $199 for its operating system, while Apple is giving away its latest product free of charge.
There are a couple of reasons why this is not exactly the smartest of ideas.
First off, Windows 8 is actually a completely new operating system — not exactly a simple update. It brings along a new UI optimized for touch, new Internet Explorer, the Windows Store, and many other features that were not part of the Windows ecosystem in the past.
And secondly, Microsoft used a similar approach to what Apple is doing with Windows 8.1. The first ever refresh of the company’s platform is being offered as a free download to Windows 8 users.
Charging users for upgrades is what Apple has been doing for years now — OS X Mavericks is the first update that is being offered for free. And technically speaking, Redmond was the first to do this when it confirmed that Windows 8.1 would come with a free license even before its BUILD conference in June.
Oh, and Apple CEO Tim Cook also found time to take another direct stab at Microsoft when he said that Redmond is actually confused about this particular side of the industry as it tries to make tablets into PCs and PCs into tablets. Ouch!
Anyway, this is pretty much all there is to talk about it. What do you think about these two direct digs at Microsoft by Apple? The comment box below is ready and raring.
What it means is that along with unveiling at the same day surface came out and Nokia did their unveiling, and the jabs….. Apple recognizes windows as a competitor. They know what is coming.
Yup, it’s a fight to the finish. The stakes are just too high now.
Cook needs to worry about his own company and hope that their sheep don’t one day realize they’re paying way too much for Apple products. When people finally realize they’re not getting the bang for their buck, he needs to worry.
Well, what can you say about a company that is still selling the iPad 2 16GB at $399. This is not just criminal, it’s borderline immoral. I don’t have a problem with high price, a company can do whatever it wants (Sony prices its devices at a premium).
But really, for a tablet that offers the hardware specs of the iPad 2, well how can one get away with a price tag like this, it’s just a tad strange, if not overly perplexing!
I think it understandable, it is a status symbol. Nothing say “look I can afford the best” like apple.
Too true, but really the un-Retina iPad 2 is not really the best. One can get the new Nexus 7 at slightly over half this price! Can’t disagree about Apple devices being a status symbol though, more so outside the US.
I think more so inside the US. we americans are so dumb and blind, if its true that only 1 million Nokia devices moved last quarter here in the US. and 9 million iphone5s go in a weekend.
I think maybe people just see the apple, they don’t see model #s.
“…Redmond is actually ‘confused’ about this particular side of the industry as it tries to make tablets into PCs and PCs into tablets.”
This would actually run in favour of Microsoft rather than against!!!
“…Redmond is actually ‘confused’ about this particular side of the industry as it tries to make tablets into PCs and PCs into tablets.”
This would actually run in favour of Microsoft rather than against!!!