Apple Vs. Microsoft : Similarities And Differences Between Apple And Microsoft

Apple Inc, best known as Apple is an American based global company that designs and sells electronics, PCs and computer software. The company was established in 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak and was incorporated in 1977. Some of the Apple’s best-known products are the Macintosh range of personal computers, iPod, iPhone, and iPad. By 2012, Apple reported to have more than 300 retail stores located in more than 10 countries in the world and more than 60, 000 employees on permanent employment, and about 2,800 on temporal employment. Despite the success the company, Apple has faced hard competition from other electronics manufacturing companies. The objective of this paper is to develop a strategic plan that will enable Apple improve its position in the personal computer industry. The paper will use Michael Porter’s forces; key success factors, SWOT analysis and the competitive strength to point out specific, workable recommendations that will allow Apple stay afloat and improve its position in the personal computer industry (Gamble & Marino 2012).

Gates and Allen both were visionaries, they had big plans for their company. Individually, they had different ways of managing people and to create innovative products, together they created possibly the most effective and versatile workforce of any corporation in existence.

The two firms being compared were google and apple, both firms dominate the intersection of technology and consumer access. In addition they both compete across a huge range of sub-industries such as computing software, hardware, operating systems, applications and web browsing amongst others. However each firm takes a different approach from an organizational perspective.

There are various threats in the external environment that influences Apple. Rapid technological development and change is a problem, the company might be set aside by a competitor who invents a newer technology. Tax increases have also influenced Apple. Apple’s profits went down due to new taxes. Patent breaches pose a huge threat, competitors might imitate their technology and make profit on these features. Appreciation of the dollar, Apple’s profits in foreign countries are reduced due to strengthening the dollar. The growing popularity of Android, widespread use of this operating system makes Apple’s infrastructure less attractive for customers. Increasing labor costs in Asia, the protests of workers in Asia, especially Foxconn

Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are intelligent innovative thinkers who have always new things to show and give to the world, and both of them are known as the best-known entrepreneurs of the personal computer revolution in the modern age. These two entrepreneurs may both work in the field of technology, but they also have many differences to distinguish themselves from one another.

It seems that the competition that has been brewing between Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) has never really died down from the late 1970s, even as both companies have had ups and downs in the stock market and in the consumer products market as well.

"They were very different, but they made a powerful team," said Ron Wayne, an engineer at Atari. Despite their differences, in their partnership they were both willing to compromise and sacrifice to find common ground. Such as how Wozniak did not want to sell the technology they invented and Jobs did. However many differences they had, they also had similarities. For example, both Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak learned much of their knowledge from their fathers.

The purpose of this essay is to compare, contrast and evaluate the two major competitor companies: Apple and Samsung. This essay begins by discussing the market value of the both companies. It will then turn to discussing the product portfolios of Apple and Samsung, and then examines the service and it concludes by evaluation.

Microsoft, Dell, Gateway, Alienware, Zune, Napster, Nokia, Samsung, Blackberry, Google, Android, Creative SanDisk, HP, Android, & IMB.

Actions from both parties determine the state of the economy compared to the economies of other countries, such as North Korea and Cuba. In these countries, they thrive in a command economy, which encourages complete control of the economy and aspects of the citizens' lives by the government. This type of economy encourages equality between all citizens and many restrictions are placed on individuals, including the inability to own a private business. In America, however, most of the economy is controlled by the citizens, and we are able to start or own a business if we so choose. Because of this freedom, it allowed Gates to start a business alongside his close comrade, Paul Allen. They would not have been able to accomplish this feat if they lived in a country which supported a command economy. Also, in a MME, free-enterprise is supported, which allows for economic control by the people and their privately owned businesses. It allows individuals to completely regulate their businesses, such as the price of a product, which lets businesses compete fairly. Although Mr. Gates thrived in his business, the opportunity of competition with other technological companies contributed to his success. It allowed him to learn and improve his product. An example of competition Microsoft had to face was Apple, the company that developed and produced the idea of all Apple products such as the iPhone and the iPad. Microsoft also shared a bit of competition with Google. In the early years, Apple and Microsoft were close allies, but because of continued technological innovation and similarities between the two platforms, both companies were drawn apart. The strive to provide a better product for consumers allowed for learning opportunities which contributed to the success of both companies. But the influence of free-enterprise, which only exists in a mixed

It became available on January 5, 2010 and uses the Android open source mobile operating system

Microsoft Corporation’s profitability ratios: Figure 2. From 2012 to 2013, Microsoft Corporations profit margin increased roughly 5%, although there was a slight decrease from 2013 to 2014, the profit margin still increased nearly 2.5% overall. Their return on assets experienced a decrease of over 1% due to a sizeable increase in inventory on the books, similar to Apple Incorporated. Microsoft Corporation’s return on equity also decreased by nearly 1% between 2012 and 2014 due to sizeable increases in the amount of equity held in the company.

The website is well organized, making it very simple to find what a person is looking for. Unlike Microsoft, it is well spaced, which helps to grab the reader’s attention. Microsoft’s homepage is setup fairly differently from Apple’s. Instead of having a main ad like Apple, its site has a set of highlights advertising their information. Highlights do not catch a reader’s attention as well as Apple’s large ad. Furthermore, Microsoft’s homepage is also packed with a lot of information in such little space. The information is broken down into bullet points, but the font is small and there are hardly any images to differentiate between the items. There is little to attract the reader to make him/her want to read through this content because it just appears to be boring. Therefore, the homepage of Apple and Microsoft differ.

The financial analysis expressed in this paper shows a comparison of two large firms in the communication and technology industry. Microsoft and Apple Inc. both deal in telecommunication gadgets and accessories within the United States and around the world. The paper focuses on the financial comparison of the two companies for two fiscal years of the year 2014 and 2015. A close analysis of the financial ratios is employed in bringing up the comparison. These rates are derived from the balance sheet and statement of income of both firms.

Nowadays, Apple has positioned itself to be an innovator in the personal computer industry and Apple has developed by offering modern products compared to its competitors. According to Apple’s mission statement last year, “Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.” (Business Management,