Microsoft shareholders grill CEO about Apple, iPhone

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Shareholders questioned Microsoft execs at their annual meeting about Apple's growing reputation among the "next generation" of technology consumers.



Microsoft held its yearly shareholders' meeting Thursday with CEO Steve Balmer along with Chairman Bill Gates in attendance. While Gates did not take or answer any questions, Ballmer took questions on a variety of topics from Apple to Android.



According to TechFlash, shareholders questioned Ballmer about Microsoft's slipping reputation among college students and Apple's apparent gains among the same segment of consumers. "I'm just wondering why your marketing group can't do something to try to rein in this next generation, because you've got a real bad image out there," one shareholder reportedly said.



Ballmer responded that "opportunities for improvement" did exist and acknowledged that there "is a group of people with whom our market share is less." He ultimately played down Apple's growing market share, reportedly adding, "it is important to remember that 96 times out of 100 worldwide, people choose a PC with Windows, that's a good thing."



Another shareholder questioned Ballmer about Microsoft's plans to best both the iPhone and Google's Android mobile OS. Ballmer reportedly answered, "I think we're on the right strategy, which is to focus on the software that goes into phones, as opposed to building phones."



AppleInsider reported earlier in the year that Apple's Mac home market share had more than tripled in the past five years.



In October, Apple's CEO Steve Jobs was voted as being the most admired entrepreneur among teens 12 to 17 years of age.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 78
    Any questions about "When are you going to stop losing billions on your mobile and entertainment department?"



    Quote:

    Balmer reportedly answered, "I think we're on the right strategy, which is to focus on the software that goes into phones, as opposed to building phones."





    No Windows Phone?
  • Reply 2 of 78
    I'm waiting for the day when MS has a shareholder smart enough to ask them "why don't you stop trying to copy everything Apple does, and come up with some new unique and innovative products of your own?"
  • Reply 3 of 78
    "I think we're on the right strategy, which is to focus on the software that goes into phones, as opposed to building phones."



    But wait! I thought Ray Ozzie said that mobile apps don't matter?!?!?
  • Reply 4 of 78
    rnp1rnp1 Posts: 175member
    [QUOTE=AppleInsider;1523667]Shareholders questioned Microsoft execs "I'm just wondering why your marketing group can't do something to try to rein in this next generation, because you've got a real bad image out there," one shareholder reportedly said.



    Balmer responded, "Its not about marketing. Its about delivering good products. By copying or "borrowing" from Apple we have attempted to do that. But now, without being able to bully everyone into forced use of our products, Apple continues to make exceptional headway. And that is exceptional! Does anyone want to talk about how Al Gore uses a Mac, while Sarah Palin uses a PC?"
  • Reply 5 of 78
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mytdave View Post


    I'm waiting for the day when MS has a shareholder smart enough to ask them "why don't you stop trying to copy everything Apple does, and come up with some new unique and innovative products of your own?"



    Those people sold their ms stock, and bought aapl
  • Reply 6 of 78
    mactelmactel Posts: 1,275member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by l008com View Post


    Those people sold their ms stock, and bought aapl



    The MS stock hasn't grown for almost 10 years. So many of the long term shareholders may still be under water. Thankfully MS has given out dividends.
  • Reply 7 of 78
    "Why are you still the CEO Mr. Ballmer?"
  • Reply 8 of 78
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mytdave View Post


    I'm waiting for the day when MS has a shareholder smart enough to ask them "why don't you stop trying to copy everything Apple does, and come up with some new unique and innovative products of your own?"



    Because that's never been Microsoft's business model
  • Reply 9 of 78
    Rounding error, rounding error, rounding error!!!







  • Reply 10 of 78
    lol what a disaster.



    It's so true though, the college-aged generation has nothing but distaste for microsoft. Hell, it seems like more than half of the tech industry feels the same way. They need to turn the ship around fast or it's going to eventually crash and burn.
  • Reply 11 of 78
    I can't believe Ballmer didn't respond with his monkey dance. Microsoft... monkey dance. Microsoft... monkey dance. Where were his backup dancers at the Microsoft Store?



    Microsoft is the government, AT&T, Exxon, and Walmart. They are too big to "get it". The time it takes to funnel new ideas through that company, someone else has already thought of it and acted on it.



    Then Microsoft buys them out and ruins it.
  • Reply 12 of 78
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jcw5002 View Post


    lol what a disaster.



    It's so true though, the college-aged generation has nothing but distaste for microsoft. Hell, it seems like more than half of the tech industry feels the same way. They need to turn the ship around fast or it's going to eventually crash and burn.



    In many ways they are disaster but they?re built up so well that it?ll take a long time and many more areas of consistent failure before they will lose their dominance or fail to makes billions a year in profit.
  • Reply 13 of 78
    -ag--ag- Posts: 123member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Quadra 610 View Post


    Rounding error, rounding error, rounding error!!!











    HAHAHAHa



    Quote:

    Balmer responded that "opportunities for improvement" did exist and acknowledged that there "is a group of people with whom our market share is less." He ultimately played down Apple's growing market share, reportedly adding, "it is important to remember that 96 times out of 100 worldwide, people choose a PC with Windows, that's a good thing."



    What he has done there is classic management word manipulation.

    Technically it is true but realistically its false.

    Being that out of the 100 "PCs" that are sold only 4 people may ask for linux or no OX at all.



    So YES he has told them what they want to hear. But avoided the question of Apple and their growth because lets face it, they don't know what they are going to do if Apple ever hit 20-25%.
  • Reply 14 of 78
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by -AG- View Post


    So YES he has told them what they want to hear. But avoided the question of Apple and their growth because lets face it, they don't know what they are going to do if Apple ever hit 20-25%.



    we shall see. In due time?
  • Reply 15 of 78
    So Steve Ballmer claims that ... "it is important to remember that 96 times out of 100 worldwide, people choose a PC with Windows, that's a good thing." Do all those people actively 'choose' a Wintel PC because they believe it is better value than a Mac, or because it is 'chosen' for them by some IT guy who has a vested interest in choosing the cheapest PC available, and one that will keep him in a job because it 'just works - some of the time'. Let's face it, there are very few jobs in Mac support, not only because they have about 10% of the market, but because the bloody things 'just work - most of the time'. Now we can't have that, can we Steve!
  • Reply 16 of 78
    they just work, except when they dont
  • Reply 17 of 78
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by -AG- View Post


    So YES he has told them what they want to hear. But avoided the question of Apple and their growth because lets face it, they don't know what they are going to do if Apple ever hit 20-25%.





    If is a very big word.





    In order to get to that market share, a few things would have to happen. But the major end point would be that Apple would have to become affordable for a large part of the population.





    It could happen by a cheaper computer, or people earning more money.





    It ain't in Apples business model to make lower priced computers and the population in general havent gained much in terms of income for many years.
  • Reply 18 of 78
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by l008com View Post


    Those people sold their ms stock, and bought aapl



    It dies make you wonder no? Why with all their millions can't they come up with products that are cutting edge. On the other hand, if the Microsoft "Courier" turns out to be true, wouldn't this mark the first ever Windows, sorry, rather Microsoft computer?



    In theory, less all the registry problems, win mobile 6.5 doesn't have registry and looks nicers than windiws 7. Couldn't, again, in theory, lead to newer Microsoft computers if they dumped win 7, the registry and potted the win mobile to a more robust OS? Sure, this is msft we are talking about, but it is possible and with all their cash, it's truly unthinkable that they can't hire the right people to make this happen along with a competition to iLife. It just blows my mind that they can't get it done.



    Why can't they? Why why why. At the sane time, why can't apple tailor more to the Prosumers???? They won't lose ground to pro's, but gain revenue.

    Enthusiasts, prosumers, musicians,videographers as well as pros. And you've hears it sllbefore but gamers make more revenue then video and music sales combined.



    Still, all that cash and msft can't get it together. Is it really thar hard to make tour OS work seemlessly with a mutimedia suite. Geeze louiddse
  • Reply 19 of 78
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jcw5002 View Post


    lol what a disaster.



    It's so true though, the college-aged generation has nothing but distaste for microsoft. Hell, it seems like more than half of the tech industry feels the same way. They need to turn the ship around fast or it's going to eventually crash and burn.



    Yeah but you have several things happening here. No longer is Apple tve so called Creative computer. Everyone can getine now. Almost. The second thing is Apple basically dumped the Creatuves imgage and is becoming a consumer brand, long gone are the days of owning a mac meant you had money. Sure they hold there vaule but not like they dud just a few short years ago. It's all iPhone iPhone iPhone with MacBooks MacBooks MacBooks and why bother calling the 15"a pro with no express card and no matte.



    For msft, most colleges and highschools abd business use windows 95, I think windows 7 will solve that. Who knows. Time will tell.
  • Reply 20 of 78
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    ...shareholders questioned Balmer about ... why your marketing group can't do something...



    Because obviously it's Marketing's fault for not spinning things the right way. Nothing to do with the actual products of course.



    Stomach turning.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    ...to try to rein in this next generation...



    I think they have some fear-based control issues. Why not try improving the products?
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