Microsoft keeps losing market share slightly and continuously, in part thanks to Vista.
But let’s admit it, Vista is not that terrible, even if far from perfect. Microsoft monopolistic habits and greed to milk the licenses cow, make people have a negative feeling (not to say hate) about Microsoft. Steve Ballmer’s arrogance do not help improve Microsoft image, and Gates stepping out did not help either. Bill Gates, still blamed with most of the evils of Microsoft, is a person that can only be admired for what he has done to bring computers to everyone, not to mention his philanthropic actions.
And then we have Apple 2.0. The turn around of Apple after Jobs return is amazing. Driven first by the iPod, then new MacBooks and iMacs, and lately the iPhone, Apple is more than ever the iconic brand that sets the trend. Microsoft has never raised a fraction of the passion that Apple generates in their users. And with Vista being the excuse of many to switch to Mac, it is no surprise that Mac market share grows.
And if Apple was not enough to threaten Microsoft Status Quo, then we have Google with the same kind of bet for simplicity, user friendliness and its nearly altruist services and software in the on-line world. MSN, Hotmail and Live services inherit the same greedy behavior of Microsoft: did you ever got your Hotmail account reset and lost all your emails because you did not login for 30 days? how slow was Hotmail, partly due to the flashy banners all across the page? how long it took them to match the 1GB capacity of initial Gmail? and what about lack of POP support and removal of MS Outlook support, forcing the user to suffer their ad-intense webmail?
As the browser becomes the OS (by supporting the increasing offering of Software as a Service), Mac and Linux distros become stronger alternatives to Windows. SaaS brings the OS battle on-line, and that explains also the strong interest of Microsoft to become a stronger Internet player acquiring Yahoo.
Windows still enjoys a huge market share above 90%, but its brand is lagging behind Apple’s Mac and Google. That does not have to be a fatal illness, but Microsoft should better look into it before it is too late.
Market Share data source: Hitslink
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