Journalists and readers alike must love a rivalry, don’t they. Apple vs. Google: Who Will Own the Tech World?, so goes this article: You’re either with the black mock turtleneck guy or with the former PhD students from Stanford.
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There is of course no denying the fierce competition for us consumers: for our attention, habits, and cash. I rely on Microsoft for my PC operating system and office suite, and I cannot easily switch because many of my friends and colleagues are on the same page. I can go Chrome or Internet Explorer, but a few years ago I chose Firefox as my browser. I cannot easily switch, as I’ve constructed an extensive ‘org chart’ of bookmarks. What’s more, I can use Crest among a handful of toothpaste in my bathroom, but I am partial to Colgate. So, it’s about choice, and only one rival wins.
On the other hand, there are areas in our day-to-day lives where we don’t have to choose. Or, more specifically, we can choose ‘all the above.’ For all the hullabaloo about Google+ versus Facebook, all of us can choose both, if we wanted. Yes, we have only so much time in a given 24-hour period to ‘social media-ize,’ but I can be active in the big space of Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter, plus in the arena of second tier players like A Small World and Google+.
So, Apple or Google? I choose both.
What they’re doing is awesome, and they dominate the market in key product lines. I study them for their algorithms and innovations, their business strategies and models, and their handling of sticky legal matters on IP and privacy. More specifically, I use a BlackBerry right now, but within the next few months I will buy an iPad and iPhone as well as an Android smart phone.
Picture this. Some former office mates come to a meeting, and lay a mobile then another one, neatly together on the table. A few bring out a third mobile. In time, I, too, will be showing off my wares: Count ‘em, four!
On the other hand, there are areas in our day-to-day lives where we don’t have to choose. Or, more specifically, we can choose ‘all the above.’ For all the hullabaloo about Google+ versus Facebook, all of us can choose both, if we wanted. Yes, we have only so much time in a given 24-hour period to ‘social media-ize,’ but I can be active in the big space of Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter, plus in the arena of second tier players like A Small World and Google+.
So, Apple or Google? I choose both.
What they’re doing is awesome, and they dominate the market in key product lines. I study them for their algorithms and innovations, their business strategies and models, and their handling of sticky legal matters on IP and privacy. More specifically, I use a BlackBerry right now, but within the next few months I will buy an iPad and iPhone as well as an Android smart phone.
Picture this. Some former office mates come to a meeting, and lay a mobile then another one, neatly together on the table. A few bring out a third mobile. In time, I, too, will be showing off my wares: Count ‘em, four!
Thank you for reading, and let me know what you think!
Ron Villejo, PhD
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