Microsoft: Apple Is No More A Competition To Us

[Archiee]

A lot of changes have happened since Satya Nadella took the command of Microsoft in 2014. After the recently known internal reshuffling, Microsoft isn’t a name synonymous with Windows anymore. The company’s main focus revolves around the cloud with attention to hardware and streamlined software experience. Microsoft is also foraying more and more into open source technologies in recent times.

When talking about Microsoft, the timeline doesn’t complete without another company that helped in building the silicon valley. Over four decades of Microsoft’s existence, people have seen the love-hate relationship between Microsoft and Apple.

 
Bill Gates, the boss of the company who was once sued by Apple for copyright infringement, later helped them avoid bankruptcy. Another known story is that Gates wrote a letter to Steve Jobs during his last days. Jobs didn’t ever read it; maybe he knew what it was about.

Now, it’s 2018 and a more mature Microsoft doesn’t believe in competition anymore. At least, what their Chief Marketing Officer Chris Capossela told Cheddar in an interview.

He said that Microsoft has moved away “from that competitive focus that I think we’ve had in the past.” It’s not just about Apple, Capossela said that traditional tech rivalries don’t matter anymore. Different companies are coming forward and working on common projects.

For instance, Google uses Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code developer tool. Amazon and Microsoft have joined hands to integrate Alexa and Cortana, although, it’s being delayed.

“The high tech industry is full of these sort of paradoxes of competing on one hand but then partnering on the other hand,” he said. “Apple is a perfect example for us.”

At an Apple keynote in the past, the two tech giants made the tech world scratch their heads when a Microsoft executive walked on the stage.

According to Capossela, Microsoft folks believe it’s better off to start paying attention to “our own fans.” “We’ve moved away from that competitive focus that I think we’ve had in the past.”

“Now, we have started focusing specifically on the people who use our stuff.”

As we have already seen it for a couple of years, Microsoft’s new strategy includes building products for platforms that people use. That’s why a flood of Microsoft-branded apps has arrived on both Google Play and App Store.