Is Microsofts Problem Apple Envy?
Back in the 80s, before Steve Jobs left, Apple and Microsoft worked closely together. Apple did the operating system, and Microsoft did the application stack, and the two companies at least seemed to be collaborating with each other. As I understand the history, Microsoft wanted Apple to license its OS so that it could be sold on a variety of hardware. Apple said no, Microsoft created a clone in Windows — which originally really sucked — and went on to prove its model was vastly more profitable than Apple’s. When Jobs returned, he refocused the company on hardware. Apple actually licenses the core of its OS, which is Unix-based, and focuses on design and usability. While this made the company a niche player in the PC, workstation and server markets, it made it dominant in the MP3 space. Today, more people touch Apple through the iPod than through its PCs. As a result of focusing on what it does best, Apple is stronger than it has ever been before — but still has nowhere near the str
