Apple Microsoft Relationship

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
As most of you know, back in 1997, Apple and Microsoft signed a deal. It involved money that would be invested in Apple, and Apple setting IE as the default browser on all Mac systems. They'd also write Office, and IE for the Mac.



Anyway, what happens next year, when this 5 year deal comes to an end?



Is Microsoft going to continue to support Apple? Is Apple going to be dropped like a rock? Comments or whatever, I'd love to hear what you guys think! <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 22
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    [quote]Originally posted by erbium:

    <strong>As most of you know, back in 1997, Apple and Microsoft signed a deal. It involved money that would be invested in Apple, and Apple setting IE as the default browser on all Mac systems. They'd also write Office, and IE for the Mac.



    Anyway, what happens next year, when this 5 year deal comes to an end?



    Is Microsoft going to continue to support Apple? Is Apple going to be dropped like a rock? Comments or whatever, I'd love to hear what you guys think! :confused: </strong><hr></blockquote>

    Microsoft has released Office for mac os X, a very important revision of Office, they can sold millions of office versions representing a huge market of more a billion dollars. Do you think they want to loose this market ?
  • Reply 2 of 22
    emaneman Posts: 7,204member
    I don't see Microsoft ending their support of Apple anytime soon.
  • Reply 3 of 22
    fran441fran441 Posts: 3,715member
    I actually think that the deal was signed early on in December of 1996 when Jobs took over Apple. I may be wrong, though.
  • Reply 4 of 22
    Regardless of what they have out now, Microsoft's agreement with Apple was signed to last 5 years.



    That 5 year term comes to an end at Macworld in August.



    And look, this is Microsoft we're talking about. I think this is a sign of concern. At least a little bit. <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
  • Reply 5 of 22
    sinewavesinewave Posts: 1,074member
    They know if they did.. it would make them look bad... who knows.
  • Reply 6 of 22
    Apple needs to make AppleWorks 7 better than Office and not worry about Microsoft. And then they can ship OmniWeb as the default operating system on OS X too.
  • Reply 7 of 22
    Microsoft has make it clear several times that the Mac BU is very profitable. Thus, I can't imagine them just cutting off support.



    Besides, Bill Gates obviously likes having Apple around. Why else would he have thrown that money at Apple those years ago?
  • Reply 8 of 22
    [quote]Originally posted by The Rootwitch:

    <strong>And then they can ship OmniWeb as the default operating system on OS X</strong><hr></blockquote>

    I would hope not!! :eek:



    (edit: emphasis added )



    [ 12-19-2001: Message edited by: starfleetX ]</p>
  • Reply 9 of 22
    andersanders Posts: 6,523member
    [quote]Originally posted by starfleetX:

    <strong>

    Besides, Bill Gates obviously likes having Apple around. Why else would he have thrown that money at Apple those years ago?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Yes. Gates is a smart man. Of course he use a PowerBook. He is down with the cool guys so he won´t be using an OS from a company who has a Steve "Monkeyboy" Ballmer as the CEO. Gates fortune is created on the basis of ignorant people but I see no indication that he is one himself
  • Reply 10 of 22
    groveratgroverat Posts: 10,872member
    So, when the contracts expire and MS doesn't pull Office, will it still be vilified?



    Of course it will.



  • Reply 11 of 22
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,015member
    Well, apparently M$ invested $150,000 in Apple stock in 1996 or 97. I hear they have sold that investment.



    I also heard they paid Apple a one-time fee to settle the OS ripoff dispute, rumored to be between 100 and 800 million.
  • Reply 12 of 22
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    [quote]Originally posted by SDW2001:

    <strong>Well, apparently M$ invested $150,000 in Apple stock in 1996 or 97. I hear they have sold that investment.



    .</strong><hr></blockquote>

    i think M$ invested 150 000 000 $, 150 000 $ investissement is nothing for a 100 000 000 000 $ men
  • Reply 13 of 22
    [quote] rumored to be between 100 and 800 million. <hr></blockquote>



    Hmmm that is QUITE a margine of error there... <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
  • Reply 14 of 22
    Ok, first off, Microsoft is ruthless.



    I don't believe any of that crap coming out of MS, saying that Bill is a Mac fanatic. I've never seen him in a pic or a video actually using a Mac.



    The MacBU profitable? Yeah, so what? It sure ain't as nearly as profitable as their Windows software sales..



    If Microsoft decided to drop Apple in August, (where the five year agreement ends) I would be upset, but not surprised.



    Sorta like their way of leaving Apple high and dry, then standing back to take a good laugh and watch them fall.





    --I also think that MS knew about this educational deal (which Apple has filed a complaint about) and realized, Apple would react to it. I think MS is trying to pick a fight with Apple, and then dump them hard.
  • Reply 15 of 22
    groveratgroverat Posts: 10,872member
    I know I'm going to get crucified for being an MS zealot for asking this, but I just can't help but wonder...



    Why would Microsoft leave Apple out to dry (if Microsoft even has that power) when a few years ago they were instrumental in "saving" Apple?



    (Please, Maclots, before you tear into me, notice my use of quotation marks and my remarks in parentheses)
  • Reply 16 of 22
    marcukmarcuk Posts: 4,442member
    M$ May want to hang up on Apple, because at no other time in the last 5 years has Apple been in a position where it has the potential to seriously damage M$. All Apple are missing from the equasion is faster CPU's.



    2GHZ G5, OSX10.5, Apple software, ease of use, relaibility, Steve Jobs... its all better than anything M$ has got, and they know it. All this stuff is not that far away now.



    Word, Excel, IE5 is all that M$ has to bargain with.



    On one hand, they could pull it all straight away, and lose $1billion tomorrow and hopefully the damage to Apple would keep them in a niche market.

    Might cause Antitrust issues.



    On the other hand they could continue to release Mac software, but make it increasingly crapper compared to the windows version,(hmmmm:err ) keep their income coming in and still make Macs look like poor choices. Also convieniently avoids Antitrust issues arrising.
  • Reply 17 of 22
    Microsoft obviously wants to develop Office for the Mac and they will continue to do it. If they didn't want to be developing it right now they would have simply come out with a crummy, barely working version of Office v.x If they are enthusiastic right now it is by choice and not because of a five year agreement that has almost run out anyway.
  • Reply 18 of 22
    Steve Jobs,"I've got an idea for a very cool OS X commercial...", Bill Gates,"I'll tell you when you can do an OS X commercial Steve, not until I say so...".



    OK ok, so this a bit harsh. Where are the OS X commercials, hmmm...
  • Reply 19 of 22
    bogiebogie Posts: 407member
    Anyone who REALLY [I know you were mostly kidding] thinks MS has that much pull over Apple is just naive but it does raise a good question, where are the Mac OS X commercials?



    I want Apple to go to war with MS as much as anyone, Power Computing style would be fine with me, but right now I don't think they have the resources.
  • Reply 20 of 22
    groveratgroverat Posts: 10,872member
    What good does going to war with Microsoft do Apple?



    The Macintosh is NOT going to replace Windows, it's not going to gain the majority market share or even a largely significant portion.



    Pulling a number out of my ass, I'd say 15-20% is the absolute tops that Apple can get to.



    Once the G5 is at 2ghz, the P5 will be at 5+ghz and AMD's new Athlong will be at 4.5ghz. The 2ghz G5 machine will still be 2-3x as expensive as a faster PC. Windows is getting better and easier, that's just a fact. Be blind to it if you like, but it's there either way.



    Microsoft is Apple's biggest developer, there's no good to come of going to war with your biggest developer.
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