Apple is now the biggest Tech Company

[johnny333]

http://www.cnbc.com/id/37362177

New King of Technology: Apple Overtakes Microsoft
Published: Wednesday, 26 May 2010 | 3:32 PM ET

By: Miguel Helft and Ashlee Vance
The New York Times


Apple, the maker of iPods, iPhones and iPads, overtook Microsoft, the computer software giant, on Wednesday to become the world’s most valuable technology company.


[AAPL 244.109 -1.111 (-0.45%) ] shares rose 1.8 percent, which gave the company a value of $227.1 billion. Shares of Microsoft
MICROSOFT CORP
MSFT

25.01 -1.06 -4.07%
NASDAQ
Quote | Chart | News | Profile
[MSFT 25.01 -1.06 (-4.07%) ] declined about 1 percent, giving the company a market capitalization of $226.3 billion.

The only American company valued higher is Exxon Mobil
EXXON MOBIL CORP
XOM

59.31 -0.40 -0.67%
NYSE
Quote | Chart | News | Profile
[XOM 59.31 -0.40 (-0.67%) ], with a market capitalization of $282 billion.

This changing of the guard caps one of the most stunning turnarounds in business history, as Apple had been given up for dead only a decade earlier. But the rapidly rising value attached to Apple by investors also heralds a cultural shift: Consumer tastes have overtaken the needs of business as the leading force shaping technology.

Microsoft, with its Windows and Office software franchises, has dominated the relationship most people had with their computers for almost two decades and that was reflected in its stock market capitalization. But the click-clack of the keyboard has ceded ground to the swoosh of a finger across a smartphone’s touch-screen.


“It is the single most important turnaround that I have seen in Silicon Valley,” said Jim Breyer, a venture capitalist who has invested in some of the most successful technology companies.

 

[Alamaking]

LOL, Microsoft is fucked

 

[Guile]

Apple dethrones Microsoft


May 27, 2010
Apple dethrones Microsoft

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Apple shares lost 0.45 per cent meanwhile to close at US$244.05, giving the company a market value of US$222.07 billion. --PHOTO: AP

<!-- story content : start --> NEW YORK - APPLE, maker of the Macintosh computer, the iPod, iPhone and iPad, dethroned software giant Microsoft on Wednesday as the largest US technology company in terms of market value. Microsoft shares shed 4.07 per cent on Wednesday to close at US$25.01 (S$35.26), dropping its market capitalisation - the number of shares outstanding multiplied by the stock price - to US$219.18 billion.

Apple shares lost 0.45 per cent meanwhile to close at US$244.05, giving the company a market value of US$222.07 billion. The only US company with a larger market capitalization than the Cupertino, California-based Apple is ExxonMobil at US$278.64 billion. Apple stock has risen steadily over the past few years as chief executive Steve Jobs, who returned to Apple in 1997, piloted the release of a string of hit products starting with the iPod in 2001, following by the iPhone in 2007 and the iPad this year. -- AFP

 

[johnny333]

LOL, Microsoft is fucked

Microsoft is having a leadership problem. Its got a lousy CEO, Balmer
When you have a poor leader many peope will start to leave the company.



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37339258/ns/business-us_business/

Microsoft Xbox, phone chief calls it quits
Robbie Bach, a 22-year veteran at software giant, helped launch Xbox


SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp. replaced the chief of its division focused on mobile phones, videogames and other consumer devices Tuesday, allowing two lower executives to report to Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer.

The move comes as the world's largest software maker is being brushed aside by Apple Inc's iPhone and Google Inc's Android operating system in the fast-growing smartphone market.

A 22-year Microsoft veteran, Robbie Bach will retire this autumn at the age of 48, Microsoft said. Bach led the entertainment and devices unit since its creation in 2005 and was responsible for the original launch of Xbox in 2001.
Story continues below ↓advertisement | your ad here

From July 1, the two senior vice presidents in charge of games and phones, Don Mattrick and Andy Lees, respectively, will report to CEO Ballmer.

"It's maybe time for new leadership," said analyst Matt Rosoff of independent research firm Directions on Microsoft. "They've really been struggling to get traction in mobile for some time."

Entertainment and devices is the fourth-largest of Microsoft's five operating units — behind its Windows, Office and server units — and is on track to post more than $8 billion in revenue for the year ending on June 30.

Last quarter, it contributed 11 percent of Microsoft's overall sales and 3 percent of its operating profit.

The unit developed the highly successful Xbox game system, but has so far failed to make an impact with its Zune digital music player and is losing ground in mobile and smartphones.

Only 10 percent of smartphones sold in the United States in the first three months of this year run Windows software, according to retail research firm NPD Group. That is well behind Apple with 21 percent, Google with 28 percent and BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion Ltd with 36 percent.

Worldwide, Google's Android passed Microsoft's Windows as the fourth most popular smartphone operating system in the first quarter, according to research firm Gartner, behind Apple, RIM and Nokia's Symbian system.

Recognizing its problems, Microsoft announced a completely new software system for phones earlier this year, called Windows Phone 7, which is scheduled to hit the market in a new range of handsets for this year's holiday shopping season.

If those phones don't make an impact, Rosoff said, Microsoft may begin looking at acquisitions in the mobile sector.

Shares of Microsoft were down 2.3 percent at $25.67 in afternoon trading

 

[Alamaking]

Microsoft is having a leadership problem. Its got a lousy CEO, Balmer....

I dun think thats the main problem, i think its the people inside it, old mentality way of doing things lah. Instead of coming out new ideas, they just keep upgrading, fix bugs in their OS blah blah blah, overall not innovative enough.

Use their MS Word, Excel puke blood man. They should just keep it simple and user friendly. Haiiizzzz -_-"

OS lose to Apple
Xbox lose to Sony
Browser lose Firefox
Search engine lose to Google
Software application lose to Adobe

what's more?

 

[Leongsam]

Get a Mac. You won't look back.

 

[halsey02]

Get a Mac. You won't look back.

Me got a Mac book pro....all moving over to MAC finally..since it is AFFORDABle...

 

[Leongsam]

Me got a Mac book pro....all moving over to MAC finally..since it is AFFORDABle...

Macs have ALWAYS been affordable. The initial price tag may be a higher than a winshit box but the overall cost has always been lower.

My 8500 still runs perfectly and has been since 1996.

 

[johnny333]

I dun think thats the main problem, i think its the people inside it, old mentality way of doing things lah. Instead of coming out new ideas, they just keep upgrading, fix bugs in their OS blah blah blah, overall not innovative enough.

MS was known as the 800 pound gorilla notorious for dubious tactics to "fix" the competition.

They got along for years without innovating, but by copying. However since Ballmer took over from Bill Gates, MS has been loosing ground, the ill fated zunie, mishandling of the yahoo purchase, the Vista fiasco, underestimating the iPhone,..

Maybe MS will make a comeback just as Apple did from almost going bankrupt to number one , but it aint going to happen under Ballmer

 

[Leongsam]

Maybe MS will make a comeback just as Apple did from almost going bankrupt to number one , but it aint going to happen under Ballmer

Apple was never on the verge of Bankruptcy. Even during it's darkest hours, it was a cash rich company with billions in the bank it didn't know what to do with.

At one point, I thought there was a possibility that Larry Ellison would take a controlling share of Apple. However, Steve reappeared on the scene and the rest is history.

 

[Alamaking]

My 7200 in my storeroom, lol

 

[Char_Azn]

And this is how they managed to overtake MS

Was the Foxconn factory plagued with a suicide curse? So far, 10 people have killed themselves this year at the Shenzhen factory most famous for manufacturing the Apple iPhone.

Find out more about the deaths, and why people are calling for an iPhone boycott to prevent more suicides.


HK protestors push for iphone boycott

A group of two dozen protested outside the Hong Kong office of Taiwan-based Foxconn.


Another Foxconn employee dies in China

The deaths, which are apparent suicides, have raised questions about the conditions for millions of factory workers in China.


9th death at Taiwanese maker of iPhones

The latest victim, logistics worker Nan Gang, 21, leapt from a four-story factory building and landed on his head.

http://www.digitalone.com.sg/features/article/11851

 

[Char_Azn]

MS was known as the 800 pound gorilla notorious for dubious tactics to "fix" the competition.

They got along for years without innovating, but by copying. However since Ballmer took over from Bill Gates, MS has been loosing ground, the ill fated zunie, mishandling of the yahoo purchase, the Vista fiasco, underestimating the iPhone,..

Maybe MS will make a comeback just as Apple did from almost going bankrupt to number one , but it aint going to happen under Ballmer

M$ does it by using their monopoly to out muscle everyone else out of the way.

Apple does it by suing the competition

 

[johnny333]

M$ does it by using their monopoly to out muscle everyone else out of the way.

Apple does it by suing the competition

Apple is just playing the game, that everyone else is playing.

Don't forget that Apple was itself sued by Creative.

Nokia is suing Apple & Apple is countering by suing Nokia. In big business the courts are commonly used to settle disputes.

The Apple brand is selling well. Just look around & you'll see many people are using the Iphone, iPods, the Macbooks,....

 

[johnny333]

Apple was never on the verge of Bankruptcy. Even during it's darkest hours, it was a cash rich company with billions in the bank it didn't know what to do with.

At one point, I thought there was a possibility that Larry Ellison would take a controlling share of Apple. However, Steve reappeared on the scene and the rest is history.

During those troubled time Apple shares were very priced in the low teens. If you factor in the share split they were priced $6 to $7

I read that during those dark days Apple was burning through its cash reserves. Bankruptcy was a possibility but unlikely because someone would would have bought Apple. There were so many rumours of IBM, Sony, ..., taking over the company.

They were struggling with OS 8.0 & were desperate for a new OS. Enter Next step OS/Steve Jobs. Gil Amelio took his golden parachute & the rest is history

 

[Ash007]

Apple is just playing the game, that everyone else is playing.

Don't forget that Apple was itself sued by Creative.

Nokia is suing Apple & Apple is countering by suing Nokia. In big business the courts are commonly used to settle disputes.

The Apple brand is selling well. Just look around & you'll see many people are using the Iphone, iPods, the Macbooks,....

Here is a scary story I just heard. Apple got their Ipad 3G approval via the standard boards here in 1 DAY! The usual waiting time of about 1 week doesn't even apply to them, that is how much cloud Apple has right now. It can be scary that Apple becomes the next M$. Only time will tell.

 

[johnny333]

It can be scary that Apple becomes the next M$. Only time will tell.

Apple supporters expect Apple to have higher standards. This applies to product quality, behaviour,....

If Apple adopts MS atitude they will loose alot of their supporters.

 

[Ash007]

Apple supporters expect Apple to have higher standards. This applies to product quality, behaviour,....

If Apple adopts MS atitude they will loose alot of their supporters.

Sounds exactly like Google's "Do no evil" mantra.

Yes, I believe M$ days are dwindling, they will still be a major player but not as influential as before. Several factors like Balmer, Apple in the hardware, design, product, to google's services in the cloud contributed to M$ demise. Again, only time will tell if either google or Apple will be another M$.

 

[johnny333]

Again, only time will tell if either google or Apple will be another M$.

Don't think Steve Jobs going to be around much longer. After all he's still recovering from liver cancer & he's also getting old :(

 

[Alamaking]

I wonder what's Philip Yeo thinking now? lol :p:p:p