Microsoft only 20% of the market?

Goldman Sachs: Windows' true market share is just 20%


http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/12/13/windows_market_share_just_20percent/

 

I take this report with a HUGE grain of salt for several reasons, not the least of which is the intended use of the device.

Example:

Mr. X has owned a Windows-based PC for the past decade. Three years ago he purchased an iPhone to replace his basic (no OS) cell phone and an identical phone for his wife. A year later he have his older child an Android phone and bought an inexpensive Android tablet for his younger child.

In this example, the household went from a 100% Microsoft market share to 20% making Goldman-Sachs' report technically accurate. What GS isn't taking into account is what the other devices are really being used for.

A key example is office software: The choices for Android are pathetic compared to MS-Word or even Open Office...and let's not even get started on the issue of typing anything longer than an IM or Tweet on a 4"-7" phone or tablet screen. I'm not an iPhone user so I can't comment on their software; however the issue of typing on a tiny screen with big fingers still remains.

Given this, I still think Microsoft has a dominant and safe share of the market for "real" computers, be they Ultrabooks or desktops. My point is that Android devices, iPhones an iPads are still secondary devices.

 

Why not throw calculators in as well? And Sat Navs?

Ever tried to transcode a 1080p MKV on a sat nav? It sucks, just keeps taking you to the computer shop.

:-D

 

I agree, and I think the article states that Microsoft is still the dominant desktop OS. What I would consider for the future is tablets. I know several people who have replaced laptops with tablets. Granted these users are not into any real production with these machines, just email and web and games. But I suspect there a lot of those type people in the world, those for whom a tablet would be just fine.

I would mention that with the cloud, for storage and apps, there may be an enterprise movement to return to some type of terminal as in the old days, or thin client setup. It could save a lot of money on IT costs....

With *nix being the dominant server OS, what would that portend Microsoft with these smaller devices running android and other non-MS OSes?

 

In my book, cloud storage is a two-edged sword.

It's great for off-site manual file backups and can save your a-- if you forget to move a file (such as a PowerPoint presentation) you created at home for use on your work PC.

The downsides of cloud are:

* Limited storage space. Great for documents, not so great for video or other huge files.

* You need a reliable Wi-Fi connection to access them (having lost Internet at my house for three weeks after Hurricane Ike, this is something to think about).

* Data throttling and overage charges. On my Android phone, I disable auto updating and have a set warning at 250MB of 4G (cellular) data per month (my plan allows 300MB/month). I've heard several horror stories of YouTube, Netflix and other video addicts going wild on 3G/4G until they get socked with an initial data bill from AT&T or Verizon for hundreds of dollars in just one month.

 

I was just having a joke around really but it's still my opinion for the foreseeable future until the keyboard and mouse is reinvented PC's will be PC's and the dominant operating system will be some form of windows, all other devices are just a convenience that help you to get to your next hard wire.

Obviously where other forms of production that need fast processors tablets can never take over or replace due to the heat problem, even laptops cannot take over desktops because of this. I don't like cloud computing either due to security but there are definitely scenarios that could be a hybrid such as your own personal cloud server, your PC controlled by a tablet or phone for CPU intensive tasks, I know people who do this already the only limitation being network bandwidth.

Its interesting how both Microsoft and Google have both gone to snatch a piece of each others market share, Microsoft in search engines and Google in mobile devices,browsers and operating systems, they are slowly merging into directly competing clones.

No one could have predicted that a company like Microsoft could be threatened then Google came along, the fastest growing economic and influential company in the history of the world and the most dangerous. I would definitely not bet against Google wiping Microsoft off the face of the map if it so chooses but that's why I believe it should be made illegal for Google to expand into other sectors due to the amount of power they have. Business should be a meritocracy not a dictatorship.

I think Microsoft knows this and this is exactly why they launched bing, they realise the power of controlling search engines and now have a 25% market share. But this is exactly why I think microsoft shouldn't be allowed to have their own search engine.:-D In the tech world though the motto is diversify or die so I guess this kind of business approach isn't going away.

Meh I should have served up some syrup with this waffle:-D

 

Agree. I use a desktop when I can, and a hardwire to the router as well. Its just better, IMO.

Was talking to a guy yesterday, he was exicited, he found out he was getting a laptop for Christmas. He picked up on my reflex eyeroll (I cannot control it most days) and asked why. I gave him my standard rant about heat, etc...

I have security concerns about the cloud as well. Talked to Carbonite once in the past, just to see what they were offering. They, at that time, didn't allow password protected 7Zip files. It interfered with their propietary compression scheme they said. Made me wonder, as it does with all of these outfits, what kind of arrangements they may have with certain alphabet agencies...

Microsoft did the same thing to Netscape back in the day. IIRC they were forced to separate IE from the OS. But now I think it is back to that original idea. Mozilla was something they didn't plan for or respond to effectively. A good thing for consumers to have real browser choices...

Bing. I don't know anyone using it. "Google it" is in the lexicon for a reason. Since Scroogle's demise I use DuckDuck and advise others to do the same.

Just make sure its not the imitation maple stuff. :-D