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Darika - Apple or PC?

Paul, 42 mins

Darika, 41 mins

I am pretty much Mac these days.  I have respect for PCs but they've always felt a bit second fiddle once you've tried a Mac.  Speaking of which... did you hear, Ballmer is out at Microsoft?

Paul, 40 mins

Hard to miss the news - and the requisite Ballmer gifs: 

Darika, 38 mins

Ha - they are coining a new phrase "pulling a Ballmer" meaning to disregard major tech changes.  It's been a long time coming though, right?

Paul, 37 mins

Everyone is re-using his 2007 quote about the iPhone 'Apple will never gain significant market share with the iPhone'. iPhone revenue alone now exceeds all of Microsoft revenue I was astounded to read

Darika, 36 mins

Yeah - he came up with some doozies about Android too.  What do you think this means for them?  No successor has been announced.

Darika, 33 mins

True - Mayer is doing some interesting things at Yahoo.  What does it mean for their brands and agencies who use their ad networks (Skype, MSN etc.)?

Paul, 31 mins

Today? Nothing. I haven't heard them announce a compelling advertising product in years - have you? I guess people can hope that will improve but given their lag on mobile - an area everyone is struggling with - I'm not convinced they'll do anything of interest.

Darika, 29 mins

They offer scale and some interesting options through Skype but it's pretty standard stuff unless you start paying real money and get going with Surface ads (did you know they spanked $1bn on that?).  I think it'll depend on who takes over.  If they don't focus on Xbox and Mobile they are in for real trouble.  Are they too big to fail?  Should people write them off?

27 mins

 

If we could predict the future or pinpoint the perfect next move that easily then it would've happened already. Here’s what they’ve got – you’ve mentioned Xbox, it is still their sleeping giant and has been protected from the general decline of the Microsoft brand. Enterprise products like Office are still great IMHO, not to mention ubiquitous. BUT how can one brand span Excel to Xbox? They shouldn’t because it defies the rules of branding. I wonder if the new CEO might come in and do a fire sale. Ultimately there needs to be a clear division between Enterprise & Consumers products, that happens at brand level, it can’t be another re-org.

Darika, 24 mins

Xbox is a massive opportunity for them - they've spent a shedload of cash to get where they are - and the Xbox One is almost a foregone conclusion of being well received in November.  What should they do with that, and in general?

20 mins

They've protected it from the tarnish of Microsoft. They should spin it out into a standalone business.

Darika, 19 mins

What other products would make your cut/fire sale?

19 mins

Office rules the Enterprise world - now it needs to get mobile. I think that could standalone
And Skype, I just understand what they were doing bringing it into the MSFT family
It's floundered since
There needs to be a clear division between Enterprise & COnsumer products
And I think that needs to take place that the brand level - not another reorg
*at the brand level

Darika, 17 mins

Sounds confusing, which they've been accused of before...what does this mean for consumers?

Paul, 17 mins

As always consumers don't really care. They'll use stuff that just works, they'll use stuff that their friends use
They still have a lot of brand equity with consumers - the majority of people still buy PCs, people are looking for iPhone alternatives etc.

Darika, 15 mins

I think they have to tread very carefully with consumers for that exact reasons.  Apple is still haloed - plus if they come out with a cheap iPhone (rumoured Sept 10) I think there will be a real surge that could hurt Microsoft (at least in the short term).  What advice would you give the replacement?

Paul, 13 mins

It's the other way round really - .The right leader won't ask the people what they want (Supposed Ford quote "They would say faster horses") they'll just get on with doing something amazing and innovative. I still hope they do it.

Darika, 11 mins