Each with advantages
This means that the Big Three will have sufficient resources to support its contention key strategic areas: data center, cloud computing and its neighboring markets. In the data center space, Google is in a leading position, and Microsoft is struggling to catch up with Google's scale and complexity. Apple still has a lot to improve, but it seems to be only a matter of time and money. Just as many hardware products have already been mass-produced, the ability to create large data centers is hard to be a long-term advantage. Before the scale advantage is gained, the size of the data center can only maintain the status quo.
in the service sector, Google is still ahead, Microsoft will be eventually expected to become a strong rival Google. Microsoft will call Bing the decision engine (decisionengin) because the product is good for users to buy new cameras and book hotels. The biggest question is whether Apple can stay behind, and its iTunes and app stores are really successful, but the range of these products is too small. Although Apple also has a wide range of MobileMe services, there is no climate yet.
However, in the surrounding areas of cloud computing, Apple has an advantage, was able to get this success, mainly due to the iPhone. So far, the iPhone has sold 30 million units, and in the second quarter of this year alone, it sold 5.2 million units. The iPhone’s share of the US market has risen to 14%. The total number of mobile apps in the app store has reached 85,000, and the total downloads have exceeded 2 billion. But Google Android also has a certain potential, there are already a number of Android phones available, and more products will be launched in the next few months. In early October, Android was supported by Verizon, the nation's largest mobile operator. American market research firm Gartner predicts that by the end of 2012, android's market share will surpass the iPhone.
Microsoft's mobile strategy is more disordered, which may become a major weakness, after all, now there are more and more users begin to access network services through mobile devices. From the recent statement by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, Microsoft is unlikely to develop smartphones on its own, but will still retain the Zune music player business. Microsoft acquired Danger, a startup in 2008, and developed a mobile project called Pink based on the company's technology. However, there are rumors that the project faces the fate of cancellation. Earlier this month, Danger lost tens of thousands of T-MobileSidekick users' data, which further increased the possibility of the Pink project being cancelled. The latest version of Windows Mobile still can't compete with iPhone and Android, and some mobile phone manufacturers including Motorola have given up WindowsMobile.
However, as Bing, Microsoft only recently begun to pay attention to mobile strategy. The company has already arranged new management for the WindowsMobile team, and the next version of Windows Mobile is expected to be available in 2010. Some analysts are optimistic about Microsoft's prospects. US market research firm iSuppli believes that the report that Windows Mobile is dead is too exaggerated.
disturbances
What can interfere with competition between the Big Three? Very likely antitrust regulators. Microsoft has just settled the dispute, and Google and Apple are more likely to become regulators. Most observers believe that Google will be the primary goal. In order to create a huge digital library, Google reached a settlement agreement with the American Writers Association and the American Publishers Association, but the agreement has caused an uproar on a global scale. Not only does the US Department of Justice urge the court to veto this resolution, even many Industry organizations and national governments also expressed opposition. Apple
situation is slightly better than Google. Apple's current share of the PC market is only 7.2%, so the company's strict control of technology will not cause any problems. But in the field of mobile applications and digital music, Apple is the market leader. The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is investigating Apple's rejection of Google Voice's phone and SMS management software in the iPhone app store. And blocking the competitor's device, making it incompatible with iTunes may also cause trouble for Apple. In response to possible problems, Apple recently dug up former Intel general counsel Bruce Sewell, who has extensive antitrust experience. Intel is the world's largest chip maker, and the European Commission has imposed a fine of 1 billion euros (about $1.5 billion) on Intel for abuse of market dominance.
addition, there are market factors. Perhaps one of the three giants can launch an exceptionally great product, a term that Apple used to describe its earliest Macintosh computers. Apple may use a tablet to achieve this goal. There are rumors that this product is expected to be available in January next year. Other companies have introduced similar devices, but none of them can overcome the input problem: typing on the screen is very difficult, and the effect of handwriting recognition is not satisfactory. Just as the iPhone subverts the mobile phone industry, if Apple can overcome this shortcoming, it is possible to subvert the PC industry with a tablet. If the tablet is a good substitute for paper, the publishing industry and the newspaper industry will change dramatically. There is a rumor circulating in the blogosphere: Apple is negotiating with publishers to provide relevant content via tablets.
final possibility is that the rise of another competitor. The most likely candidates are Amazon and Facebook. One of them is the world's largest online retailer, and the other is the world's largest social network. Amazon has begun to promote cloud computing services. The company provides cloud computing services to other network companies, and has developed the Kindle e-book reader, which will officially enter the international market on October 19. Facebook is considered by the outside world to be the most successful cloud computing service, and its registered users have exceeded the 300 million mark. Users can communicate, share information and collaborate online through Facebook, and these services can also meet the needs of the enterprise.
for the future of the digital world, it seems that only one thing is certain: the dominant one or more enterprises will come from the United States. European or Asian companies have not yet emerged in the field of cloud computing. Nokia, the world's largest mobile phone maker, is trying to build a cloud computing strategy through a set of online services called Ovi, but the strategy is still in its early stages. Governments outside the United States may be eager to use state-owned funds to build cloud computing services. They only need to allow their citizens to make full use of the competition among US technology giants to do better.