CHAPTER 6: Apple, Google, and Microsoft Battle for Your Internet Experience

STUDY CASE

Apple, Google, and Microsoft Battle for Your Internet Experience

1.      Compare the business models and areas of strength of Apple, Google, and Microsoft.

      Although they have different business models and strength, Apple, Google, and Microsoft are three major companies who seek to dominate the internet user’s experience. They come with their own proprietary strengths.

      In looking at business models Apple business model focuses on the consumer bringing them a personalized web experience through their hardware (Ipod, Iphone, Ipad and  imacs), their own major OS system: Mac OSX and TOS, and through the internet. Although their model limits what type of software customers can access, they offer over 250,000 apps through their IOS app store.

      Next, with their browser and search engine, Google Centers on advertaising and democratizing information where they gain most of their profits. Through the companies Android platform they are increasing their market shares into the mobile market. Google seek a market of open nonproprietory  plat forms where consumer can freely surf the web and openly enjoy the innovation of apps across services.

    Finally, Microsoft business model concentrates on creating user friendly operating systems, which 95% of all computers use. They have worked to make technology accessible to everyone. However, they are moving towards services and breaking into the search advertising market. Likewise, in the struggle to dominate new technology, the three internet titans come with their own strengths backing them. In addition, they manufacture their hardware, run devices with their own software, and retail their own products. These devices have become very popular with Iphone bringing in 30% of the company’s revenue.

    Google’s main areas of strength it’s on search and advertising services. It has the most efficient search engine and good capability in supplier-buyer integration. Microsoft is still the leader in pc operating system and desktop productivity software, but has failed miserably with smart phone hardware and software, mobile computing, cloud-based software apps, its internet, portal, and even its game machines and software. But this contribute only 5% its revenue, and network software. Windows is still operating system on 95% of the world 2 billion Pcs.

    Microsoft strength are operates through regional subsidiaries. Microsoft is the world’s largest software company with global name recognition and strong. Their company and it product are staples for businesses and consumer looking to improve their productivity with computer-based tasks. While it is trying to expand its presence on the internet, it still must try to keep customers bound to the desktop computer.

    The strength for Apple are mobile devices, such as iphone and tablets. These devices combine and contribute 52% of apples business. They already have a head straits on the mobile phone industry where they have over 250,000 applications. Apple controls 27% of the mobile market and the iphone is the highest grossing cellphone ever. Apples has a very loyal user base that has steadily grown and most likely will stay with Apple products in the future.

2.      Why is mobile computing so important to these three firms? Evaluate the mobile platform offerings of each firm.

    Apple’s and Google’s Android are both the key dominant players in the mobile computing market, and Microsoft fails in the mobile computing market. When the internet exploded in size and popularity, it made increase in Apple’s revenue. Apple’s has loyal user base that has steadily grown and it’s very likely to buy future products offerings.

    Google is as strong as the size of its advertising network. When Google acquired Android, it was adding features to Android that Apple’s offering lacked such as the ability to run multiple apps at once. IOS 5 is the latest version of the world’s most advanced mobile operating systems, includes over 200 new user features, and update software development kit with over 1,500 new application programming interface and powerful new development tools.

     Apple IOS Android 4.0 (ice cream sandwich) is the latest version of the android platform for phones. It builds on the things people love mostly about Android easy multitasking, rich notifications, customizable home screens, resizable widgets, and deep interactivity and adds powerful new ways of communicating and sharing.

      Google android windows phone 7 is the latest version and where Microsoft offers a new user interface. This features its design langue called Metro, integrates the operating system with third party service and other Microsoft services, and sets minimum requirements for the hardware, on which it runs. Window phone is primarily aimed at the customer market rather than the enterprise market.

3.      What is the significance of mobile applications, app stores, and closed versus open app standards to the success or failure of mobile computing.

      Apps greatly enrich the experience of using a mobile device, and without them, the predictions for the future of mobile internet would not be nearly as bright. Whoever creates the most appealing set of devices and application will derive a significant competitive advantage over rival companies.

      Apple make money on each app sold through its app store. That’s worth billions of dollars to the company. Even if an app is free, apple still has an advantage because users must visit Apple’s App store and the company is betting consumers will buy something else. Other apps or entertainment service while visiting the store. However, app developers have complained that making money is too difficult. Apple has blocked some apps from its mobile devices, namely Google’s voice mail management program, Google voice. Apple claimed it violated user privacy.

      Apps for the Android system used on non-Apple devices are available from many different sources. Google has worked very hard to increase the number off apps available for Droid-based mobile devices by encouraging developers to increase the number of apps. Google also makes money by embedding advertising in some of the apps used on Droid-based devices.

4.      Which company and business model do you think will prevail in this epic struggle? Explain your answer.

     The company and business model will prevail in this epic struggle is Apple because it would struggle to remain competitive in this environment. Apple has kept the garden closed for a simple reason, you need Apple device to play there. Apple has the edge in the selection and quality of apps, but while sales have been risk, developers have complained that making money is too difficult. Roughly a quarter of the apps available in the app store are free, which makes no money for developers or for Apple, but it does bring consumers to the Apple marketplace where they can be sold other apps or entertainment service. The type of Apple such as Imac, Ipod, Iphone have all contributed to the company’s enormous success in the internet era, and the Ipad has followed the trend of probability set by these previous products. Apple has a loyal user base that has steadily grown and is very likely to buy future products offerings.

5.      What difference would it make to a business or to an individual consumer if Apple, Google, and Microsoft dominated the Internet experience? Explain your answer.

  In the current struggle, three firms are trying to make to dominate the customer experience on the internet. Each firm brings certain strength and weakness to fairy. It’s too early to tell if a single firm will “win” or it all three can survive the contest for the customer internet experience, and in early contest it was typically a single firm that rode the crest of new technology to become the dominant player and also can make domain of the internet router market. Example, include IBM’s dominance of the main frame market.

Information Security Threats and Policies in Europe.

1.     Botnet is a network of autonomous malicious software agents that are under the control of a bot commander. The network is created by installing malware that exploits the vulnerabilities of web servers, operating systems, or applications to take control of the infected computer. Once the computer is infected it becomes part of a network of thousands of “zombies” machines that are commanded to carry out the attack.

2.     There are four main points of Digital Agenda for Europe. Firstly, they want to define the key role that information and communication technologies will play in 2020. Secondly, they took initiative calls for a single, open European digital market. Besides that, Digital Agenda for Europe has goal which is that broadband speeds of 30 Mbps be available to all European citizens by 2020. Lastly, they initiatives is considering the implementation of measures to protect privacy and the establishment of a well-functioning network of CERT to prevent cyber crime and respond effectively to cyber-attacks.

3.     Initially the cyber- attacks can be carried by remotely or proximately. For example, some viruses such as Conficker, spread through a network of computers by exploiting holes in the network security or by attaching an infected USB drive to computer. Secondly, the denial of service attacks. This cyber-attack occurs when an attacker attempts to prevent legitimate users from accessing information or services. This is typically accomplished when the attacker overloads a system with requests to view information. Next is the Spearphising is another simple method by which an attack may gain access to a computer system or network.  Once the some information about the target is acquired, an e-mail is sent purporting to be forma legitimate company asking for information such as usernames and passwords to banking websites or network login. Lastly, tampering with basic electronics is a simple type of cyber-attack. It is also possible that such software or even hardware could be installed into electronics by the original manufacturer.

4.     The weakness is lack of security, vulnerable points through which a system's security may be compromised.