Microsoft Claims Apple Are Kingmakers. They’re Wrong and It Will Cost Them
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It’s early October 2023. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella testified in the antitrust trial against Google.
Something amazing happened. In terms of search, Nadella claimed that Apple chose the winner. “Whoever they choose, they basically king-make”. The Secret Developer is no fan of the tech behemoth, and it looks like this statement isn’t going to help matters.
”The Microsoft CEO is not only wrong, they’re making a real mistake for both technology and their business.
Let me explain why.”
Microsoft’s Search Failure
Reports put Microsoft’s investment in the Bing search engine at $100 billion, which has not resulted in a leading search offer. Microsoft claims this isn’t due to the quality of Google’s products but because Google pays to be the default search engine on iOS devices.
”Microsoft blaming Bing’s failure on users relying on the default engine on iOS devices is just wrong.
Does nobody remember Apple Maps? Despite it being the default on iOS devices nobody used that bag of trash. The quality of Google Maps just won the battle because of the superior quality of the product.
Microsoft thinks their dumpster fire product of Bing is unable to compete because of the situation, rather than the quality is misguided and provides their devs with an excuse for a sub-par product.
It’s even worse for those who remember the antitrust actions in the 90s that forced Microsoft to open up their operating systems to Chrome and other third-party services. It’s almost like there are chickens coming home to roost.”
The Natural Conclusion
The failure of Bing has led to Microsoft’s rushed implementation of AI through OpenAI.
” Microsoft seems to have rushed the implementation of AI and we will all be either not using it or losing our jobs depending on whom you believe.
Not only that I can only imagine that the team working on Bing at Microsoft feels that they are not A-players (who are probably all over at XBox) possibly leading to staff retention issues.
I’ve seen this before. When you are working in a non-core product at a corporation you are cost center and a resource rather than an essential part of the team. It’s not a good place for a developer to be and worse further impacts the quality of the product.”
The Logical Fallacy
According to Nadella when you remove the Google Play Store from an Android you effectively brick the device. Microsoft did not have to face this claim in the 1990s when they needed to open their platform to third parties.
”When you’re a winner you use a certain argument. When you’re a loser you use another argument.
I’ll leave it to you to make a punchline about who the winners and losers are in this particular story.”
Conclusion
Microsoft appears to be blaming their lack of success on others. It isn’t a good look and they should focus on enhancing their product.
“I think this should also apply to software developers. We should focus on being the best software developers we can and making the best possible product we can.
I don’t think that is too much to ask.”