Compare the business models and areas of strength of Apple, Google and Microsoft
Three most successful companies at present, Apple, Microsoft and Google use different strategies to stay afloat, yet there are certain common traces in each. While Microsoft uses the so-called Windows-style business model, as Dan Frommer (2011) explains, Apple tends to aim at dominating the online digital music market, as Osterwalder and Pigneur (2010) state.
In contrast to these two, Google prefers a business revenue model, which the company splits in the one for SaaP, the one for support and the one for matchmaking (Popp, 2011). Being the most complicated one among the models used by the three companies, the revenue model offered by Google seems to be the least flawed due to its thoroughness and a huge number of well-thought details.
As for the spheres which can be considered the most promising for the given companies, it is important to mention that the companies cross in certain fields, becoming rivals and competing for the public attention. For Google, the first and the foremost sphere is the advertisement; the Internet applications and mobile phones come at close second, according to the case study.
Finally, various software development can also be considered as the field of Google’s concern. In contrast to the latter, Apple is preoccupied mostly with mobile phones and Internet applications, thus, narrowing down its field of activity. Meanwhile, Microsoft Corp. deals with the issues concerning PC and software without interfering the Internet sphere.
Why is mobile computing so important to these three firms? Evaluate the mobile platform offerings of each firm
It is obvious that in the modern world, mobile computing is the key to a more successful communication. Indeed, since it is impossible to have a constant access to a computer, the idea of accessing the Internet with the help of a mobile phone seems more than impressive.
From the standpoint of the given companies, mobile computing is not only the means to satisfy the public’s wants and needs, but also another technical breakthrough and the application of the most recent technologies. Therefore, the issue is of utter importance.
What is the significance of applications and app stories to the success or failure of mobile computing?
Since the key idea of mobile computing is to provide the applications which will allow the users to access the Internet and use specific software without having to use a computer, it is obvious that the development of various applications is extremely important for the companies in question.
According to what Phan, Montanari and Zetros (2010) claim, “Mobile device based sensing of human user states is able to provide rich contextual information to applications such as social networking and health monitoring” (p. 57). However, the authors admit that there are also certain restrictions as for the use of mobile devices to access the Internet: “However, energy management remains a critical problem due to limited battery capacity on mobile devices” (p. 57).
Thus, it is evident that with the help of various applications, mobile computing is going to be enhanced; yet certain problems concerning mobile computing need to be solved.
Which company and business model do you think will prevail in this epic struggle? Explain your answer.
To figure out which of the companies is going to be the leader in mobile computing and dominate the market in the nearest future, it is necessary to evaluate the potential of each of the firms. It is clear that the entrepreneurships have their own strengths and weaknesses; and, which is even more important, they complete each other, creating a foil for the future technological development and opening new possibilities.
However, choosing the most promising company, one should consider the Google company closer. Despite the recent loss of their leader, the company is full of new ideas and focuses on the production of computers, computer software and various applications for the former. In contrast to Google, Microsoft seems to forget about such an important issue as the Internet applications, which is likely to slacken its progress. Likewise, Apple Corp. barely takes into account software and advertisement, making applications development their key asset.
What difference would it make to you as a manager or individual consumer if Apple, Google or Microsoft dominated in the Internet experience? Explain your answer.
I believe that in case one of the companies dominated the Internet experience, the number of the available services would be rather scanty. Despite the fact that each of the given companies is incredibly successful and offers a number of unique ideas, they are still irreplaceable.
No matter how well Microsoft develop its advertising and software production, it is still likely to fall flat when it comes to Internet or mobile phone applications; and, vice versa, Google will not be able to provide people with the necessary software. Therefore, with these three companies at the helm, the computer industry is able to offer its best.
Reference List
Frommer, D. (2011, Sept. 21). Microsoft needs a new business model for Windows 8 tables. Splatf.com.
Osterwalder, A. & Pigneur, Y. (2010). Business model generation: a handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengers. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons.
Phan, T., Montanari, R., and Zetros, P. (2010). Mobile computing, applications, and services. Redmond, WA: Springer.
Popp, K. (2011). Advances in software economics. Portland, OR: Books on Demand.