According to an article from Arstechnica, Windows 8 is being developed with the neverending tech threats from Google and Apple in mind.
Some relevant parts of the article:
Specifically, Microsoft is taking note of competitive pressures from Google, with its Android and Chrome operating systems, saying that the search giant “poses a whole new set of challenges.” As for Apple, Microsoft noted that the company could not be forgotten, because there would still be the “the traditional competition” from Cupertino. Linux was not explicitly mentioned, though this is likely because Microsoft believes it poses a bigger threat in the business space, and sources say this particular discussion looked at the consumer-facing aspects of the Windows brand.
and
Microsoft is planning to switch internal focus from Windows 7 to Windows 8 at the start of its next fiscal year in July 2010, and according to a Microsoft roadmap, Windows 7’s and Windows Server 2008 R2’s successors are slated for release in 2012. Windows 8 will be a major release (remember that Microsoft considers Windows 7 to be a minor one and Windows Vista a major one) so we should be seeing something more revolutionary, rather than evolutionary, with the branding of the operating system.
Seems to me that it’s pretty obvious that Microsoft should see Google and Apple as competitors. They have been on the edge of challenging Windows for years.
Why Apple haven’t done more to open up their OS before now is still a source of amazement to me.
To me, the real threat is Google and the upcoming Chrome operating system. If Google play their cards right with Chrome OS and have the right mix of an intuitive UI and a business friendly toolset, Microsoft could have some real problems on their hands..
What do you guys think?
