Apple tops BusinessWeek’s most innovative list
Yes, once again our favorite fruit is the best of the best of the best when it comes to innovating. They’ve got the iPod + iTunes thing rocking the music world, plus the Jesus phone + App Store printing money like it’s going out of style and don’t forget how the Mac’s tripled its market share in recent years. But, why in the name of Peter Cottontail hasn’t Microsoft been laughed right off the listing?
BusinessWeek has published their annual round up of the world’s 50 most innovative companies and it includes many of the companies you’d expect, like Google, Nintendo, Toyota and Apple, because they do or make stuff that’s awesome.
The Spin
With the sudden reversal of the global economy, businesses are struggling not only with shrinking income and budgets, but also with seismic shifts that are upending entire industries, from autos and retail to banking and entertainment.
The data
Again, why is Microsoft listed anywhere, let alone among the Top 10, in Business Week’s listing? New and amazing ways of sucking? From the corporate process that brought you Windows 2000, PlaysForSure, Zune, the Zune marketplace, Xbox black hole losses, Steve “the salesman who can’t close Yahoo” Ballmer and shh! We don’t say the “V” word anymore, comes what? Fifty ways to lose the browser market or maybe Lauren the soused sales girl?
Honestly, what have they done in the last 10 years worthy of such a high ranking? Windows 7? Sorry, but 2005 hasn’t called looking for their operating system because they’re already happy with OS X 10.4 Tiger…
What’s your take?
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April 10th, 2009
My thoughts exactly. I think it’s to keep the wintards from ditching their BW subscriptions en masse. That is the only rational explanation.
April 10th, 2009
Printed money and controlled 90% of the hardware sales without needing to invest in the hardware R&D? Saw the last real competition it had left go from microscopic to small by causing all kinds of existential angst and ditching the hardware platform they had toted as so superior to move to the enemy platform? Watch the same company pour money into award winning ads that actually have people convinced Microsoft builds computers and buying a Mac hurts them more by snagging a $59 OEM license than Dell or HP while keeping Linux out of the conversation? While at the same time running Windows is an added benefit meaning a retail license at better margins is purchased?
Seriously, do you really think Microsoft decided to say nothing for a couple of years because they were so inept they were at a loss for words? Even the usual wonk speak?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumble_in_the_Jungle
Apple played it about the only way they could. Consumer driven IT aside, having Macs scattered about the enterprise isn’t going to hurt Microsoft. See, they’ll still need a Windows License and Microsoft doesn’t really build computers.
Aside from the usual humanitarian reasons, and the real loss of Steve Jobs genius if , God forbid, his health makes it unwise or he is unable to continue you are going to see this was a Steve Jobs award. I hope he is around and vital for a hundred years and anyone who loves technology should feel the same. The dude is wired to a higher level somehow.
Yeah his COO and the rest of the people are top notch, but seriously…Let us know when Tim pops out a Pixar or starts BSD Cubing.
Sadly, all those Apple riches usually get a Spindler in charge.
July 21st, 2009
It’s refreshing to see the spin being illuminated by a touch of reality.
When people give their opinion about a famous brand or a product, whether or not they work for one of the “largest global corporations”, marketing is a factor. Apple’s marketing is extremely good.
Is Apple innovative? Yes, probably. Think of the iPod, or the iPhone, which good marketing has helped to exalt to the status of must-have gadgets of the day. The touchpad interface, made famous first and foremost by Apple’s very well-marketed products, which characterises Apple’s core brands, is certainly an innovative feature.
But it seems that Apple may have stolen the idea, using it in “wilful, wanton and deliberate” infringement of the patent held by Tsera, in reality [apparently] the company that actually invented the idea.
http://www.timacheson.com/Blog/2009/jul/apple_sued_for_stealing_touchpad_idea