Microsoft plans to embrace Apple's App Store format
Microsoft is less interested in adopting WebKit for a future version of Internet Explorer than in its plans to replicate another Apple-driven technology: the direct-to-customer software distribution model pioneered by the App Store.
Although Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer said Friday that the WebKit rendering engine employed by browsers such as Apple's Safari and Google's Chrome is "interesting" and may be looked into, he later suggested the company will stick true to its Trident engine for the foreseeable future so that it can continue to develop non-standard additions to the web experience.
"From time to time, we may take a look at [WebKit], but right now we feel very confident in our browser team and its availability to execute," he said at a developers conference in Australia, adding that while it's important his firm's browser embraces Web standards, it's vital that the company also be able to deliver "proprietary innovation" through "innovative extensions."
That said, Ballmer was more keen on mimicking Apple's move to digital software distribution through the App Store, revealing that Microsoft will soon launch a similar program that lets developers distribute their applications directly to consumers.
"I actually will agree that there's some good work, particularly at Facebook and also with the iPhone, where both of those companies have made it easier for developers to distribute their applications," he said. "[They've] made it easier to kind of get exposure for your applications."
Apple said last month that App Store users have downloaded more than 200 million applications since the digital shop opened its doors in July, while FaceBook has afforded third parties an avenue to market their software through the social networking site since last year.
Although Ballmer admits there's "not much money being made" by the formats, "the general concept of giving developers a way not only to get their code distributed, but to really get visibility for the code, is a good idea."
While the executive stopped short of providing hard details, he told developers to "fear not," as the company is hard at work on technology that will deliver some of the benefits of the two platforms, particularly those employed by FaceBook.
To that end, Microsoft is rumored to be testing a FaceBook knock-off dubbed "TownSquare," which was reportedly designed to be deployed within the enterprise. The software giant's specific ambitions for App Store-like application distribution are unclear.
Although Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer said Friday that the WebKit rendering engine employed by browsers such as Apple's Safari and Google's Chrome is "interesting" and may be looked into, he later suggested the company will stick true to its Trident engine for the foreseeable future so that it can continue to develop non-standard additions to the web experience.
"From time to time, we may take a look at [WebKit], but right now we feel very confident in our browser team and its availability to execute," he said at a developers conference in Australia, adding that while it's important his firm's browser embraces Web standards, it's vital that the company also be able to deliver "proprietary innovation" through "innovative extensions."
That said, Ballmer was more keen on mimicking Apple's move to digital software distribution through the App Store, revealing that Microsoft will soon launch a similar program that lets developers distribute their applications directly to consumers.
"I actually will agree that there's some good work, particularly at Facebook and also with the iPhone, where both of those companies have made it easier for developers to distribute their applications," he said. "[They've] made it easier to kind of get exposure for your applications."
Apple said last month that App Store users have downloaded more than 200 million applications since the digital shop opened its doors in July, while FaceBook has afforded third parties an avenue to market their software through the social networking site since last year.
Although Ballmer admits there's "not much money being made" by the formats, "the general concept of giving developers a way not only to get their code distributed, but to really get visibility for the code, is a good idea."
While the executive stopped short of providing hard details, he told developers to "fear not," as the company is hard at work on technology that will deliver some of the benefits of the two platforms, particularly those employed by FaceBook.
To that end, Microsoft is rumored to be testing a FaceBook knock-off dubbed "TownSquare," which was reportedly designed to be deployed within the enterprise. The software giant's specific ambitions for App Store-like application distribution are unclear.
Comments
Microsoft... plans to replicate another Apple-driven technology
Surprise, surprise!
Excuse me for being so crass, but can this f-ing company do anything original? Other than BOB and grammar checker in Word, what have they done that is truly original? Nothing. Everything they've "pioneered" was due to a takeover/purchase.
AMEN TO THAT! Ballmer is just taking the entire company into a hole right now. Then again, they have always done the bare minimum even when Bill Gates was the head!
he later suggested the company will stick true to its Trident engine for the foreseeable future so that it can continue to develop non-standard additions to the web experience.
Oh great.
Excuse me for being so crass, but can this f-ing company do anything original? Other than BOB and grammar checker in Word, what have they done that is truly original? Nothing. Everything they've "pioneered" was due to a takeover/purchase.
Yeah it's pretty much agreed across the industry that Microsoft are NOT innovative (or at least are very very rarely). What they are good at is making money, usually by taking someone else's idea and using their market dominance to give it massive market exposure, or sometimes even breaking compatibility with competitor products to "push" their own as the recommended way. They are a pain in the ass to compete with for many reasons, especially for smaller companies, who don't really stand a chance.
But I think Apple are safe enough. Apple do not make money by default like Microsoft - they make it by innovating and creating really good products. And all this copy-copy-copying from Microsoft is a good thing in a way as it constantly forces Apple to re-innovate and make their products even better. Also, people (well, blog reading tech industry people like us, anyway) see what Microsoft is doing and lose all respect for them, and they get bad-mouthed all over the place, which is why there is an underlying unpopularity about everything they do (Vista, for example).
I swear, as soon as all software office suites agree on and use (by default) a consistent document standard format, Microsoft's Office leg will weaken dramatically. And then as OS X becomes more popular and Linux becomes more useable for the masses (which probably won't happen for a long time unfortunately), the Windows leg will start to give way. And then Microsoft will only have their Servers leg to stand on (mostly everything else they do is not actually profitable, including Xbox). I can't wait actually - the tech world will be a much more interesting place.
Excuse me for being so crass, but can this f-ing company do anything original? Other than BOB and grammar checker in Word, what have they done that is truly original? Nothing. Everything they've "pioneered" was due to a takeover/purchase.
Actually, I came into here to bitch that people keep calling the App Store original. There's no question it is by far the best implementation of an App Store out there... but every cell service has had an App Store of some sort for years. The only "innovation" in Apple's system, besides a great interface/etc, was how easy it is for people/companies to submit new app's to it, with minimal contact with Apple or the carrier.
Actually, I came into here to bitch that people keep calling the App Store original. There's no question it is by far the best implementation of an App Store out there... but every cell service has had an App Store of some sort for years. The only "innovation" in Apple's system, besides a great interface/etc, was how easy it is for people/companies to submit new app's to it, with minimal contact with Apple or the carrier.
I would also argue that the iTunes Music Store wasn't "original". The originality and innovation with the iTunes store or the App Store is not what it does, but like you said, how it does it. There has never been anything easier to use, manage, etc. Apple's innovations aren't always because of some revolutionary new feature, but the fact that is just so stupid easy to use that it's a wonder anyone but Apple couldn't figure it out. For example, the iPhone was not the first touch device, but it was the most intuitive and simplest to use. Blackberry is touting the Storm as a revolutionary device, but it is still running Blackberry OS, and I think we can all agree that it is not the easiest platform to use.
The only "innovation" in Apple's system, besides a great interface/etc, was how easy it is for people/companies to submit new app's to it, with minimal contact with Apple or the carrier.
Yeah... that 'usability' stuff is just stupid.
Give me massive, unusable power any day.
Excuse me for being so crass, but can this f-ing company do anything original? Other than BOB and grammar checker in Word, what have they done that is truly original? Nothing. Everything they've "pioneered" was due to a takeover/purchase.
Believe it or not, Windows 1.0 was going to have contextually sized scroll-bars (something we take for granted now), but Gates insisted it was removed, because the feature wasn't on the Mac. Proof, as if any were needed, that Windows was intended to replicate the Mac as close as possible.
he later suggested the company will stick true to its Trident engine for the foreseeable future so that it can continue to develop non-standard additions to the web experience.
The silver lining in this cloud is that more and more web designers are finding out they simply can't ignore other browsers anymore and code specifically to these "innovative extensions" Ballmer is touting. The days of the Microsoft proprietary web are almost over. Ballmer is in denial.
Need to look for some other technology... good luck.
Excuse me for being so crass, but can this f-ing company do anything original? Other than BOB and grammar checker in Word, what have they done that is truly original? Nothing. Everything they've "pioneered" was due to a takeover/purchase.
I'm not sure of the popularity of the mentioned service but it has definitely not gotten the attention like the Apple App Store. So, I guess Ballmer translation would read "We were not successful with our App Store so we plan on explicitly copying Apple's and hopefully benefit."
Microsoft is less interested in adopting WebKit for a future version of Internet Explorer than in its plans to replicate another Apple-driven technology....
Riiiight, because copying their competition has been such a successful tactic for them lately.
Riiiight, because copying their competition has been such a successful tactic for them lately.
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The silver lining in this cloud is that more and more web designers are finding out they simply can't ignore other browsers anymore and code specifically to these "innovative extensions" Ballmer is touting. The days of the Microsoft proprietary web are almost over. Ballmer is in denial.
Unfortunately Gates and Ballmer long ago decided to run Microsoft like they were GM. Well we know how that is working out.
He is talking to developers as if they were stockholders.
He is touting propriety to people who don't want it, except of course for themselves.
He is boasting of innovation to the very people who know better, but can't really confront him.
I've almost finished Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged in audiobook (I disagree with much of her ideas, but understand the myth involved) and I just wonder if the neo-liberal economists who think monopolies are fine and proper and are good counter-balances to ineffective socialist policies, think that Microsoft is being heroic in any way. I've watched television interviews and forums where Ballmer and Gates truly sound as if they are in a bubble of denial. They actually look the camera in the eye and say that they are innovative and open in ways that causes their partners and competitors to snear opennly and yet no one calls them on it. It is liking listening to Putin talk about how he wants freedom in the country of Georgia. Marketing B.S.
Actually, I came into here to bitch that people keep calling the App Store original. There's no question it is by far the best implementation of an App Store out there... but every cell service has had an App Store of some sort for years. The only "innovation" in Apple's system, besides a great interface/etc, was how easy it is for people/companies to submit new app's to it, with minimal contact with Apple or the carrier.
Can you show me where Apple made the claim that the App store was originally their idea? The "innovation" they have is it's integration with the iTunes Music Store and the fact that the App Store works like it is supposed to. I still have Apps I've purchased on my previous cell provider that has yet to downlonad and install....they had NO problem charging me for it though.
AMEN TO THAT! Ballmer is just taking the entire company into a hole right now. Then again, they have always done the bare minimum even when Bill Gates was the head!
I'll second that AMEN.... Ballmer is such a LOOSER.....
But what about Zune... oh wait... that is a really crappy attempt at an iPod... but don't they squirt?
What about Internet Exploder..... Oh wait.... that was to put Netscape out of businesses
etc...etc...etc....
I wonder if that sorry fat ass ever visits this site...... Think he BP goes up when he reads about how we all think he's such a dunce. I don't care how much $ he makes..... he'll always be second rate.... just like MS.....