Historically, the relationship between Apple and Microsoft has been very one sided. And it’s not in the way you might think of today. From the 1980’s until the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, Microsoft almost completely dominated the consumer electronics industry with its personal computers. But, once seen as the scrappy underdog in computing, Apple has surpassed Microsoft as the largest technology company (in terms of market capitalization) in the United States. It’s been able to do so on the back of the mobile device category – with iOS based iPhones leading the way.
Recently, Microsoft has finally struck a counter-blow worth noticing with the introduction of its Windows Phone 7 (or WP7 for short) phone operating system. This time, it is playing the role of the underdog against the mobile giant that is Apple. And after the utter failure of previous Microsoft mobile operating systems, they finally seem to have gotten it right with WP7.
The Hardware Battle
In terms of concrete specifications on the phones with their respective operating systems, Microsoft and Apple are in a dead heat. Starting with Apple, the latest iPhone represents 5 years of incremental development. It has a 3.5 inch screen with high resolution, comes with either 16 or 32 gigabytes of internal storage. The 32 gigabyte storage option is currently twice as much as the highest-end Windows phone option, which comes in at 16 gigabytes total.
The other key advantage of iPhone hardware is in third-party accessories. Since the iPhone has been so relentlessly popular over the last five years or so, dozens of companies have designed speakers, car docks, and portable charging options specifically for the iPhone. This gap should squeeze a little tighter as the Windows phone attains more market share, but it’s currently a wide disparity.
Windows phones do, however, present some of their own advantages to certain consumers. First and foremost, there are several different actual hardware choices available. Samsung, HTC, and Nokia all manufacture Windows phones, creating a much greater range of products than Apple’s single offering. New smartphone users who just want to check e-mail and visit the occasional webpage, for example, might opt for a lower-cost basic Windows phone as opposed to the more expensive, more powerful iPhone.
Windows Phone 7 OS vs. iOS
When it comes down to software, Microsoft and the iPhone are shooting for the same target in different ways. They’re both trying to create the quintessential intuitive operating system, where even the newest and most technologically impaired users can fully use the respective devices’ capabilities.
The introduction of Apple’s cloud service, application multitasking, and computerized virtual assistant “Siri” are the biggest iOS developments to occur since the first iPhone came out in 2007. Visually, iOS has remained much the same since its introduction. The home screen neatly displays a number of both native and downloaded apps that can be pressed to activate. It’s clean, attractive, and has become the standard for most mobile operating systems since.
The Windows Phone 7 operating system, though Microsoft has spent much less time working on it, is already comparable to iOS. It lacks the virtual assistant feature, but already has multitasking and an intuitive home. Perhaps the greatest differentiator Microsoft’s mobile operating system has is its look. Instead of displaying application icons on the home screen, WP7 has “live tiles”, which serve as hubs for different types of applications, whether they be phone communications, social networking, gaming, news, or whatever else is available on the Windows app market. They automatically update so that the home screen displays the latest stories, messages, e-mails, weather updates, or just about anything else within the tiles. This visual facet is both unique and beautiful, helping to win over many mobile device buyers to the Windows side.
The last significant software aspect of this Microsoft vs. iPhone battle is their application stores. The Apple “App Store” currently has over half a million applications available to users, while Microsoft’s has just about 20,000. Most of the major popular apps are represented in each, but Apple has a clear advantage in this category.
Beyond the Specs and Software
Perhaps the most important advantage that the iPhone retains over its Microsoft competitors is brand recognition and loyalty. Apple produced one of the first immensely popular smartphones on the market, and has garnered millions of truly dedicated customers because of it. Though Windows 7 phone’s market share is growing, it still has no response for the massive buzz and fanfare that iPhones have.
Unfortunately for Microsoft, the only thing that can really help to break Apple’s brand loyalty and give the Windows phone a foothold is time. Smartphones have become a sort of self-extension device for millions of people, so they will undoubtedly be slow to switch. But as it keeps up its fast pace of improvement in both hardware specifications and software features, the Windows phone could ultimately emerge as a legitimate rival to the iPhone in the smartphone market.
Cindy W. is a freelance writer and tech blogger. She lives in California with her husband and two children.
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