Ballmer disses Google Android
CNET News writes about how Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer believes that Google Android is financially unsound for Google:
They can hire smart guys, hire a lot of people, blah dee blah dee blah, but you know they start out way behind, in a certain sense.
If memory serves, Apple also started out way behind, Steve. But just one software revision later and they are way ahead. Smart designers make smart products. Even if Google is a bit hit and miss on the first go-round, further revisions of their software can likely push them ahead. Where the hell is Windows Mobile in all this? Where’s the same level of innovation? I used a Treo 750w for quite some time. I don’t see it. Do you not have smart guys over at Microsoft, Steve? What’s your point?
I don’t really understand their strategy. Maybe somebody else does. If I went to my shareholder meeting, my analyst meeting, and said, ‘hey, we’ve just launched a new product that has no revenue model!’…I’m not sure that my investors would take that very well. But that’s kind of what Google’s telling their investors about Android.
That’s because Microsoft’s entire business model is completely different. Microsoft has not ventured out into the kind of business models as Google has. Thus, Microsoft has no clue how these business models actually work. Steve, I’m sorry but you just don’t get it. Until you get it you’re never going to be able to explain to your investors how such a revenue model would work.
Google doesn’t exactly bubble to the top of the list of the top competitors we’ve got going in mobile. They might someday. But right now…
…Apple is at the top of the list of top competitors. Remember them, Steve? Remember what you said about the iPhone?
How’s that strategy working for ya? Steve, what you don’t understand is that design matters. It matters a whole lot. Apple gets it. Google gets it. It’s one of the main reasons why their business strategies are working right. They’re solving problems. They’re letting their products speak for themselves. What is Microsoft doing?
I’m on the Windows Mobile site right now and I don’t see anything really revolutionary compared to what Windows Mobile was when I was using a Treo. Internet Explorer looks to be the same craptastic browser, incapable of browsing and rendering any site on the web like Safari on the iPhone or the Android Mobile Browser. You mean to tell me that a feature like that doesn’t matter? Plus, with ActiveSync available on the iPhone and reports of some solid enterprise solutions available for Google Android, the other benefits of Windows Mobile over other solutions is a bit moot. Granted, Windows Mobile 7 is supposed to address much this but…where is it? Just like Vista, delay after delay after delay.
Who’s way out behind now, Steve? Microsoft is. Sorry, Steve, you just don’t get it. Probably never will. Your best strategy is to retire now and put Microsoft in the hands of someone who does get it and is capable of taking your company in a better direction. Otherwise, just like Captain Ahab, you’ll end up sinking the good ship Microsoft in your quest to spear a great whale. Best of luck, Steve.
Tags: ballmer
