[...] Microsoft's Technical Evangelist Mike Swanson, who has worked for the company for the last eleven years, recently announced that his side interest in developing apps for iOS devices has grown into a full time job, resulting in his departure from Microsoft to focus on building "new and exciting" mobile software.
That's it. Swanson has shown Microsoft the best way to break into mobile: by writing iOS apps.
After all, Microsoft *is* a software company. Right?
Microsoft is preparing a new edition of its Office suite for Apple's iPad, as well as a updated Office for Mac OS X Lion users. ...
While IMO it would be pretty easy to make a better word processor than Pages for iOS, (or even a worthy competitor), I don't see that Microsoft actually has the talent to do this.
They haven't ever shown any skill in making simple, easy to use software in the past. Let's face it, they excel at the needlessly complicated, and they use an everything and the kitchen sink approach to development.
I fear what will happen here is what usually happens with Microsoft's stuff. They will make a product that technically is inferior and filled with stupidity, but it will still be number one "because it's Word." We will thus all be forced to use Word, even though Pages is better, and Pages will continue to be mediocre because there is no reason to improve it.
-- they optimize complex apps to the single window touch UI
-- they get something running on the ARM architecture
-- they interface their mobile apps to their desktop apps
-- they take advantage of their dominant position in desktop office apps
-- they exploit the iOS ecosystem for selling and delivering apps
-- they make some money
All of this is a learning experience for MS -- and this gives them a seat at the table in the hottest game in town!
MS can do this with an eye to delivering the same capability (likely more) to Windows 8 ARM Tablets in late 2012.
Should the Windows 8 Everywhere prove to be "too little, too late" -- MS will have their apps running on the tablets of choice for personal and enterprise.
The real challenge will be to re-think, re-design and re-implement Office apps for the mobile form factor.
This is no small task:
-- single window (no resizable, overlapping windows, inspectors, etc.)
-- no complex toolbars monopolizing screen real-estate
-- larger, but fewer controls
-- different workflow, but must be intuitive
The iPad apps will be totally different apps than the desktop apps -- with a separate code base.
IMO, MS has a small window [sic] of opportunity (1Q 2012) and only one chance to get it right!
It's amazing how much difficulty competitors have had in competing with the iPad (and iPhone).
Part of the problem I think is the focus on hardware. Android people love to brag about the size of the screen, camera megapixels, processor speed, etc of their particular device. The real strength of iPad is the OS, user interface, smoothness/speed, programming API, and ease of use. Anyone can make a rectangle shaped device with a bright screen, camera, and wifi.
Microsoft and Google need to ditch their current bloated/clunky operating systems and go with a new slim, fast, smooth, nice looking OS that runs native code not virtualized Java/C# junk programs. It has to have a strong API that has good fast OpenGL accelerated controls. Much the same way Apple has done.
They can still differentiate their platform from Apple with a different UI paradigm and other enhanced features. At this point, they need to match AND overtake how well the iPad works to grab market share. I just don't think the fundamental architecture of Android and Windows Mobile can do it.
Microsoft does have a fast OS with an innovative UI that runs native code, it's called Windows Phone 7, it's gaining traction pretty rapidly. And before everyone starts on the 1% market share etc. Kin etc. Think about how smug Nokia were when the iPhone first came out .. and see how well that turned out.
Microsoft does have a fast OS with an innovative UI that runs native code, it's called Windows Phone 7, it's gaining traction pretty rapidly. And before everyone starts on the 1% market share etc. Kin etc. Think about how smug Nokia were when the iPhone first came out .. and see how well that turned out.
The difference here is that Windows Phone 7 won't ever be an iOS toppler. It will act as a compliment to it, but it's not going to be a serious upheaval.
"If we want to move forward and see Microsoft healthy and prospering again, we have to let go of a few things here. We have to let go of this notion that for Microsoft to win, Apple has to lose. "
Someone let me know when M$ makes a Mac version of Project and Visio, then I'll be interested in looking at it. Right now, OpenOffice provides all the functionality of M$ Office for Mac, even if the UI isn't as streamlined.
Office for iPad? Only if they don't screw it up. Touch is not desktop apps running on a touch screen. It will require a from the ground-up new product - and we still need Project and Visio here too.
Here is the reality. As consumers, we want the most choice with the fewest issues / boundaries. Bringing office to ios removes one reason that some business users may have from not adopting the iPad. This is obviously good for Apple
The good news for Microsoft is that they can make money selling software to iPad users, after all, they are a software company.
From a WP7.5 and Win8 perspective, it's not bad news. Microsoft give away their mobile office for free with WP7.5, it won't be free for other platforms.
One of the things I like about Microsoft is that they (usually) won't kill one business for the sake of another. Arguably Sony hurt the PS3 by including a Blu-Ray player in it; the price was very high early on and they let Microsoft get a big lead. It was more important for Sony to win the video format wars than the console wars, so they stuck to their guns. You could argue that it was strategic .. blah blah blah, but in the end they are number 3 in that space where they could have been number 2 (if you count Wii).
In all fairness, Apple really doesn't (and never has) contributed much to other platforms.
I have been using an iPad 2 for a few months now, and two weeks ago took it along to a conference. It worked very well as a note-taking tool, and the automatic posting of the resulting notes to my e-mail inbox on my Mac(s) was very useful.
That said, when I need to do serious work, it's the Macs that I turn to. And yes, Office remains my "go to" application set for text and spreadsheets. I value the formatting flexibility they provide, and while Word or Excel are--for now--simply unavailable on the iPad, I don't see how Microsoft will be able to provide the degree of layout and detailing control on the iPad that it does on the Mac--or a Windows machine, for that matter.
If the goal is to allow for easy presentation of documents, or on-the fly minor editing, that's fine. But for my purposes, the iPad simply isn't a "serious" production machine. "Your mileage may differ," of course.
--Steve
PS: I mean no belittling of the iPad. I very much enjoy mine as a "consumption device" when I need to catch up on Apple Insider at home, for example, or to catch up with the day's news.
Microsoft makes billions, annually from Apple hardware. This covers their losses in other departments. To end this would call for Shareholders to push out their current board and CEO.
This is a protection scheme and always has been since Apple started firing on all cylinders.
Apple is clearly going to ramp up the capabilities of the iWorks for the Desktop/Laptop/, its Cloud Services and for the iOS platform.
Microsoft realizes they better get going or with a fully robust iWorks Suite in the hands of hundreds of millions of iOS Users they won't need MS Office in the Enterprise, Medical, Military, Federal Markets anymore.
It's an interesting question. Apple sold almost 15 million iPads last year. This year they will sell 40 million. Next year, possibly 65 million. This is becoming a good percentage of total computer devices sold each year. Combine that with a stall in Windows box sales, and MS is seeing more devices that don't run Windows year after year. Combine that with smartphone sales, which they are pretty much out of right now, and the situation looks poor.
This doesn't mean that they will depend upon Apple for all of their sales by any means. But it does mean that a larger proportion of devices don't run Windows. They will have to accommodate that or lose sales and profits. If Apple can maintain a majority of tablet sales, and it looks possible as their percentage is higher than was predicted, then that accommodation will increasingly have to be with Apple.
Comments
[...] Microsoft's Technical Evangelist Mike Swanson, who has worked for the company for the last eleven years, recently announced that his side interest in developing apps for iOS devices has grown into a full time job, resulting in his departure from Microsoft to focus on building "new and exciting" mobile software.
That's it. Swanson has shown Microsoft the best way to break into mobile: by writing iOS apps.
After all, Microsoft *is* a software company. Right?
That's it. Swanson has shown Microsoft the best way to break into mobile.
Write iOS apps. After all, Microsoft is a software company. Right?
Well they are good at reverse engineering I'll give them that.
"Clippy is pwned."
Microsoft is preparing a new edition of its Office suite for Apple's iPad, as well as a updated Office for Mac OS X Lion users. ...
While IMO it would be pretty easy to make a better word processor than Pages for iOS, (or even a worthy competitor), I don't see that Microsoft actually has the talent to do this.
They haven't ever shown any skill in making simple, easy to use software in the past. Let's face it, they excel at the needlessly complicated, and they use an everything and the kitchen sink approach to development.
I fear what will happen here is what usually happens with Microsoft's stuff. They will make a product that technically is inferior and filled with stupidity, but it will still be number one "because it's Word." We will thus all be forced to use Word, even though Pages is better, and Pages will continue to be mediocre because there is no reason to improve it.
Now...if only Nintendo can see the handwriting on the wall.
Tom
Amen! Microsoft bringing office to ios is great, but Nintendo games on ios would be even better!
PowerPoint for iOS (iPhone, iPod touch and iPad).
If true, this is a very smart move for Microsoft:
-- they optimize complex apps to the single window touch UI
-- they get something running on the ARM architecture
-- they interface their mobile apps to their desktop apps
-- they take advantage of their dominant position in desktop office apps
-- they exploit the iOS ecosystem for selling and delivering apps
-- they make some money
All of this is a learning experience for MS -- and this gives them a seat at the table in the hottest game in town!
MS can do this with an eye to delivering the same capability (likely more) to Windows 8 ARM Tablets in late 2012.
Should the Windows 8 Everywhere prove to be "too little, too late" -- MS will have their apps running on the tablets of choice for personal and enterprise.
The real challenge will be to re-think, re-design and re-implement Office apps for the mobile form factor.
This is no small task:
-- single window (no resizable, overlapping windows, inspectors, etc.)
-- no complex toolbars monopolizing screen real-estate
-- larger, but fewer controls
-- different workflow, but must be intuitive
The iPad apps will be totally different apps than the desktop apps -- with a separate code base.
IMO, MS has a small window [sic] of opportunity (1Q 2012) and only one chance to get it right!
What's taken them so long?
The ultimate presentation tool:
PowerPoint for iOS (iPhone, iPod touch and iPad).
2002 called. They want their pre-Keynote software back.
Are you saying that M$ depends on Apple?
You are delusional.
Apple products are becoming increasingly important to MS. There is nothing delusional about that.
It's amazing how much difficulty competitors have had in competing with the iPad (and iPhone).
Part of the problem I think is the focus on hardware. Android people love to brag about the size of the screen, camera megapixels, processor speed, etc of their particular device. The real strength of iPad is the OS, user interface, smoothness/speed, programming API, and ease of use. Anyone can make a rectangle shaped device with a bright screen, camera, and wifi.
Microsoft and Google need to ditch their current bloated/clunky operating systems and go with a new slim, fast, smooth, nice looking OS that runs native code not virtualized Java/C# junk programs. It has to have a strong API that has good fast OpenGL accelerated controls. Much the same way Apple has done.
They can still differentiate their platform from Apple with a different UI paradigm and other enhanced features. At this point, they need to match AND overtake how well the iPad works to grab market share. I just don't think the fundamental architecture of Android and Windows Mobile can do it.
Microsoft does have a fast OS with an innovative UI that runs native code, it's called Windows Phone 7, it's gaining traction pretty rapidly. And before everyone starts on the 1% market share etc. Kin etc. Think about how smug Nokia were when the iPhone first came out .. and see how well that turned out.
Microsoft does have a fast OS with an innovative UI that runs native code, it's called Windows Phone 7, it's gaining traction pretty rapidly. And before everyone starts on the 1% market share etc. Kin etc. Think about how smug Nokia were when the iPhone first came out .. and see how well that turned out.
The difference here is that Windows Phone 7 won't ever be an iOS toppler. It will act as a compliment to it, but it's not going to be a serious upheaval.
"If we want to move forward and see Microsoft healthy and prospering again, we have to let go of a few things here. We have to let go of this notion that for Microsoft to win, Apple has to lose. "
Office for iPad? Only if they don't screw it up. Touch is not desktop apps running on a touch screen. It will require a from the ground-up new product - and we still need Project and Visio here too.
The good news for Microsoft is that they can make money selling software to iPad users, after all, they are a software company.
From a WP7.5 and Win8 perspective, it's not bad news. Microsoft give away their mobile office for free with WP7.5, it won't be free for other platforms.
One of the things I like about Microsoft is that they (usually) won't kill one business for the sake of another. Arguably Sony hurt the PS3 by including a Blu-Ray player in it; the price was very high early on and they let Microsoft get a big lead. It was more important for Sony to win the video format wars than the console wars, so they stuck to their guns. You could argue that it was strategic .. blah blah blah, but in the end they are number 3 in that space where they could have been number 2 (if you count Wii).
In all fairness, Apple really doesn't (and never has) contributed much to other platforms.
That said, when I need to do serious work, it's the Macs that I turn to. And yes, Office remains my "go to" application set for text and spreadsheets. I value the formatting flexibility they provide, and while Word or Excel are--for now--simply unavailable on the iPad, I don't see how Microsoft will be able to provide the degree of layout and detailing control on the iPad that it does on the Mac--or a Windows machine, for that matter.
If the goal is to allow for easy presentation of documents, or on-the fly minor editing, that's fine. But for my purposes, the iPad simply isn't a "serious" production machine. "Your mileage may differ," of course.
--Steve
PS: I mean no belittling of the iPad. I very much enjoy mine as a "consumption device" when I need to catch up on Apple Insider at home, for example, or to catch up with the day's news.
Are you saying that M$ depends on Apple?
You are delusional.
Microsoft makes billions, annually from Apple hardware. This covers their losses in other departments. To end this would call for Shareholders to push out their current board and CEO.
This is a protection scheme and always has been since Apple started firing on all cylinders.
Microsoft realizes they better get going or with a fully robust iWorks Suite in the hands of hundreds of millions of iOS Users they won't need MS Office in the Enterprise, Medical, Military, Federal Markets anymore.
Are you saying that M$ depends on Apple?
You are delusional.
It's an interesting question. Apple sold almost 15 million iPads last year. This year they will sell 40 million. Next year, possibly 65 million. This is becoming a good percentage of total computer devices sold each year. Combine that with a stall in Windows box sales, and MS is seeing more devices that don't run Windows year after year. Combine that with smartphone sales, which they are pretty much out of right now, and the situation looks poor.
This doesn't mean that they will depend upon Apple for all of their sales by any means. But it does mean that a larger proportion of devices don't run Windows. They will have to accommodate that or lose sales and profits. If Apple can maintain a majority of tablet sales, and it looks possible as their percentage is higher than was predicted, then that accommodation will increasingly have to be with Apple.
The ultimate presentation tool:
PowerPoint for iOS (iPhone, iPod touch and iPad).
Sorry, Keynote knocks spots off of PowerPoint.