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May 1, 2007

iphone

Ballmer’s iPhone technolust keeps shining through

Posted May. 1, ’07, 5:16 AM PT by Derik DeLong
Category | iPhone

Steve Ballmer Steve Ballmer is dying for an iPhone. In fact, at this point in the game, he’s the biggest advertiser for the new phone. He just won’t stop talking about it. He has iPhone on the brain. He got lackey Chris Sorenson to denounce its viability in business. Now he’s decided to attack it outright.

“Would I trade 96% of the market for 4% of the market? I want to have products that appeal to everybody,” he said. “We’ll get a chance to go through this [Apple versus Microsoft debate] again in phones and music players. There’s no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance. It’s a $500 subsidized item. They may make a lot of money. But if you actually take a look at the 1.3 billion phones that get sold, I’d prefer to have our software in 60% or 70% or 80% of them, than I would to have 2% or 3%, which is what Apple might get.”

If you give this guy enough rope, boy will he ever hang himself. Microsoft doesn’t have have that 60, 70, or 80% marketshare in phones. At least Sorenson made a little bit of sense. Ballmerbot is clearly terrified that Apple’s interfaces may best his company yet again. Can’t says I blame him. How long before he’s caught chatting on his own iPhone for “competition evaluation purposes”?


8 Comments

Jack said:

According to Canalys, Microsoft had 4.6% marketshare in smartphone operating systems (not in all cell phones). I guess he'd prefer to have 80%.

While the media likes to concentrate on marketshare, a company in a competitive market is interested in profit.

It's interesting that Apple is shooting for 1% of cell phones, but Balmer is more optimistic at 3%!

1% of all phones should translate to about 10% of smartphones.

May 1, 2007 6:32 AM
E.T.Cook Author Profile Page said:

Are you serious? Your posts have degraded to the point that they are filler garbage.

I understand that you are a shill for everything Mac, which is exactly why I read this blog (I own a MBP), but your blog is getting to the point of ridiculousness. This is just sensationalistic garbage...was the picture really necessary? You just take away from your own credibility.

May 1, 2007 6:38 AM
Walt Basil said:

Are you serious E.T.? I thought it was funny! Not the first time they used it. Keep it coming Derik!

May 1, 2007 6:54 AM
GTG said:

Actually Ballmer's comment makes perfect sense. MS will very likely have a much larger share of its OS is phones than Mac OS will (as I'm expecting it will be only in the iPhone). Maybe not 80% since a lot of phone manufacturers will likely use a proprietary "OS" to save money.

Of course, how much money does MS really get everytime a phone with Windows Mobile is sold? Probably not as much as as apple gets for every iPhone, so it balances out.

May 1, 2007 7:06 AM
Chris Hokanson said:

Great post Derik. I completely disagree with E.T. If I wanted all-serious, no-fluff, no-fun Mac news and such, I'd read MacRumors or ThinkSecret.

But this sir, is what is great about MacUser... getting the news and the lighter side of news. I would rather have jokes about Steve Balmer's iPhone comments than "This is what Balmer said today, blah blah blah blah blah," like every other Mac blog out there.

Thanks MacUser staff.

May 1, 2007 10:02 AM
E.T.Cook Author Profile Page said:

Woh, i was misinterpreted. I certainly didn't mean I wanted dry postings etc...I do like wit....and I also understand you have to pander to your audience. But vitriol, and ridiculously stupid demon pictures? I like humor...but this rivals fart jokes in terms of asininity and juvinility.

By all means...joke...but please, but is it too much to ask to make it funny? I would just rather not have a great blog go from one of my favorites, to a lackluster circle jerk where we draw mustache's on Microsoft personell and call it "funny". har har

May 1, 2007 1:01 PM
mdmunoz said:

He also mentions mp3 players...

Does the Zune have 80% marketshare? Really, Steve?

May 1, 2007 1:33 PM
Philippe Azimzadeh said:

The above conversation about your post reminds me of this Derik:
http://video.on.nytimes.com/index.jsp?fr_story=44ed55615501307e5a7f967182e26c6185f1aafa

Keep up the good work.

May 1, 2007 4:25 PM

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