Apple digs into Microsoft at WWDC

Apple may have plenty of announcements of its own to make at this year's WWDC, but it looks like it just couldn't help itself from taking a few jabs at Microsoft as well. Doing the honors was Bertrand Serlet, who took the stage by saying "what a sharp contrast with Vista our OS is," and only got rolling from there, pointing out "what a big hole Microsoft has dug," and adding that "they're trying to get out of it with Windows 7." Of course, Serlet didn't have many good things to say about Windows 7 either, which he says has "even more complexity" than Vista because it's just based on the "same old tech as Vista."

[Mmmm... Dohnuts. @ Jun 8th 2009 1:32PM]

Hehe... sadly true.

[Alan Partridge @ Jun 8th 2009 1:36PM]

Seems like Apple are scared about Windows 7

[curtisrutland @ Jun 8th 2009 1:42PM]

How so, exactly?

Some quotes:
"The same old tech as Vista. Just another version of Vista"
"so we decided to build upon Leopard -- we want to build a better Leopard"

What exactly is the difference here? Both OSs are a relatively incremental upgrade. Vista made a very large divergence from XP, there were bound to be some growing pains. I suspect you never used OSX 10.0 or 10.1. Growing pains all around.

The problem is that most of Vista's "problems" were perceived problems, not actual. Example: it uses too much RAM. Actually, it's caching your commonly used programs, and will release the extra used memory immediately when another application requests memory. That's why a system with 1 GB or 8GB will still show between 30 and 45% memory usage at idle.

Most of Vista's problems were from people who were so used to the XP way of doing things that they couldn't find some things in Vista. Two weeks of use will re-train you. Again, 10.0 brought the same problems for Apple. The differences in this case were a combination of internet "hive mind" and absolutely vicious apple ads. I know that the Mojave project was just marketing and not an actual scientific study, but it did show that people had biases against Vista that weren't based in fact, but based on what they read or heard other people complaining about or what they saw advertised on TV.

That said, W7 is a spectacular upgrade, and Snow Leopard is taking a few pages from it, such as the update to the Dock they mentioned (the one for focusing on windows of the app).

[DR House @ Jun 8th 2009 1:46PM]

Lol apple iscared of windows 7 so lets sabotage it since all media praise how smooth and how it beat mac os in pretty much everything

[GnuGeek @ Jun 8th 2009 1:58PM]

Where is iPhone 3GS ?? Fast !!!!!!

I dont care shit about ur OSX better than Windows 7 arguments

[Sisyphus @ Jun 8th 2009 2:02PM]

Great post curtis, summed up my thoughts exactly.

[kjb434 @ Jun 8th 2009 2:09PM]

If Apple must attack Microsoft and Windows, they must worry about them. If OSX was just so great, then it should shine on it own over Windows.

[Michael Scrip @ Jun 8th 2009 2:15PM]

Nothing will change...

Apple will still make fun of Windows... and Windows machines will still be cheaper.

But both companies will continue to exists for the foreseeable future.

Nothing new here...

[Tiptup300 @ Jun 8th 2009 3:04PM]

Apple: "VISTA SUCKS!"
Users: "Why? What's bad about it?"
Apple: "IT SUCKS"
Users: "Did you use it?"
Apple: "No, why would I, it sucks!"
[now] Apple Users: "Oh okay."

[TruthBringer @ Jun 8th 2009 3:12PM]

Apple is scared, and they should be, because Windows 7 is better that anything they could hope to make. Can't beat it? Bash it. ...Pathetic.

[BloodReaper @ Jun 8th 2009 3:25PM]

No seriously i lost all respect that i ever had for apple, Seems to me like Apple is pissing in their pants about Windows 7. They KNOW its a helluva product. They're even pricing snow leopard at 30 dollars. Pity, if apple would spend more time advertising their OWN producs maybe they would have a larger market share.

[Precision @ Jun 8th 2009 3:33PM]

there are 2 routes people can take to reach higher places than others. either by:
a) building their towers taller than others
b) destroying the ones around them.

which one do you think apple is taking :/
and what does say about them.

[BloodReaper @ Jun 8th 2009 3:42PM]

You know my heart bleeds when i see this post over and over again.
Guys do you remember Jobs saying in the 1997 Boston Macworld. I remember Steve Jobs saying "We have to let go off the notion that for Apple to win Microsoft has to lose. We must understand that for Apple to win, We have to perform better."
I clearly dont see the same company before my eyes today.

[Who? @ Jun 8th 2009 3:50PM]

@Precision

The sky is green and the clouds are blue, just because I say it, doesn't mean it's true.

Your logic is faulty. Every company succeeds by implementing both of those tactics, and saying that Microsoft or anyone else is taking a higher ground is just kidding yourself. Leopard is a far more advance OS than anything Microsoft has offered thus far, and I've had 7 on my computer for a while now; it is far from perfect. So if you all actually think Windows is better, why don't you put out whatever your horse is smoking and join the rest of us on planet Earth already?

[Patriks7 @ Jun 8th 2009 4:10PM]

"If Apple must attack Microsoft and Windows, they must worry about them. If OSX was just so great, then it should shine on it own over Windows."
Do you guys have any idea what you're talking about? Microsoft has 90% market share while Apple has about 10%. They are both direct competitors. Of course Apple will attack them, it would be very stupid from them not to. Unless of course you guys want a Microsoft-only monopoly...

[r3loaded @ Jun 8th 2009 4:28PM]

Thanks for that curtisrutland, very well written and argued.

Yeah, Apple is definitely concerned about Windows 7. In typical Apple fashion, they just gloss over their weaknesses and mistakes instead of owning up to them (ignoring the dropping of ExpressCard slot and downgrading of the base 15-inch MBP by yanking the 9600M chip out, just to name two).

[brrip @ Jun 8th 2009 5:00PM]

not sure about snow leopard but windows 7 really does it for me. anyone who's actually tried it can't deny that it's way better than vista.

[Mmmm... Dohnuts. @ Jun 8th 2009 5:59PM]

@brrip

Vista

[Mmmm... Dohnuts. @ Jun 8th 2009 6:01PM]

None of my comment showed up after the

[Mmmm... Dohnuts. @ Jun 8th 2009 6:02PM]

Someone please fix Engadget's shitty

[Mmmm... Dohnuts. @ Jun 8th 2009 6:03PM]

Ugh. I give

[VanillaSpice @ Jun 8th 2009 10:37PM]

Sigh. Microsoft takes on Apple directly in their advertising, and the Apple-hating crowd loves it. Then Apple takes on MS directly at a conference, and the Apple-hating crowd cries "foul!"

Hypocrites.

Pro-MS and anti-Apple articles on Engadget? No problem for you guys. No comments, no complaints. But pro-Apple and anti-MS articles? You cry "bias". Even neutral articles receive similar slander, so desperate are you to make this fiction a truth by dint of repetition.

iPhone doesn't do tethering, has no Flash, and avoids multitasking to save battery life, and you say "crap". Pre is released much later, does not do tethering, has no Flash, and only gets multitasking running at the expense of even half-decent battery life, and you yell "so much better than the iPhone!"

You're just a bunch of immature, prejudicial hypocrites.

[retro77 @ Jun 8th 2009 11:08PM]

@curtisrutland: Nice job, hit the nail on the head a few times there!

If Microsoft controlled the hardware like Apple did, then it would be a fair comparison. Its like saying I have an engine that'll fit any car in the world, only it has some small issues. But the other guy that can only put his engine in one car is bashing the guy that can fit his in any car.

I don't have respect for Apple and this just adds to the list for me. I hope that Apple receives a lot of bad press over this and changes their ways.

[Wwhat @ Jun 9th 2009 12:41PM]

@Tiptup300
You really think apple doesn't check out the competition's efforts? Are you saying they are incompetent?

[oboulo @ Jun 19th 2009 9:09AM]

With strong brand recognition, innovative and unique products, solid technology, and profitable financial numbers, Apple appears to be a very successful company. Its current share in the PC market, however, is very small. In order to be a major competitor in the PC market, Apple should consider altering some of its current positioning strategies. With a few changes, a desirable increase in market share could result.

http://en.oboulo.com/summary?id=56789

[Mark @ Jun 8th 2009 1:33PM]

The lack of specifics of anything "bad" about vista or 7 is pretty telling

[Look_Around_You @ Jun 8th 2009 1:35PM]

Why bother with the details, just shoot of your mouth. He knows most blogs aren't going to make a fuss over this, as they would is Balmer had said something similar about OSX, so why not let loose.

[rells009 @ Jun 8th 2009 1:36PM]

It would be nice if he provided evidence, but really he doesn't have to in order to sell PCs (you know, since Macs are PCs after all). See the guy above you.

[MegaBite @ Jun 8th 2009 1:39PM]

Ooh, how intimidating Apple is. By the way, even though Windows has its flaws, OSX is no miracle. It is not incredibly easy to use, and it is not even that fast.

[joe23521 @ Jun 8th 2009 1:43PM]

At least Windows 7 is not called Windows Snow Vista.

[curtisrutland @ Jun 8th 2009 1:43PM]

"He knows most blogs aren't going to make a fuss over this"

Wrong. He knows that this is going to be headline news on blogs, just like it was on Engadget.

Publicity is publicity.

[o29 @ Jun 8th 2009 1:48PM]

What's more telling is that in their own keynote, Apple still feels it necessary to try to belittle the competition, not by outdoing them, but by making snide remarks about how bad that competition is. I'd much rather hear them talk about how they're improving their products to overcome the competition, rather than them talk about how much of misguided tech-snobs they are.

[Brian! @ Jun 8th 2009 1:53PM]

Windows 7 is pretty sweet. I am loving the RC.

Good move on Apple for the affordable upgrade though. I will definitely get that upgrade for my macs. As a user of both platforms, I find that they are so similar it is just hype to bash one or another. The only thing that bugs me is that Apple and their fanboys hype to the point of making claims that are just downright lies. Close-minded, elitist acting jerks bug me. I wish Apple would just focus on promoting what they do well instead of making attacks, more often untrue, which just makes them seem petty.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Jun 8th 2009 2:03PM]

OS X is already out-doing Windows. Notice how they add features and speed with every release? 7 is the only Windows that's even TRIED to be faster than a previous verison.

For all the crap Apple gets for eye-candy, it seems like Microsoft spends a lot more time on the visuals. Windows still has most of the same issues it's always had, while Apple innovates with things like Grand Central and OpenCL.

Every new release of Windows gets prettier, but it still feels horribly cobbled together.

[Josh @ Jun 8th 2009 3:39PM]

"OS X is already out-doing Windows. Notice how they add features and speed with every release?"

No, I don't think I've noticed any speed improvement, OSX really isn't that fast. I use both platforms and I agree with whoever said that both are pretty similar, they are, they both have problems, neither is perfect, or that speedy. I'm waiting for one of them to actually step up and actually be able to show that they are better...

I miss DOS....

[bluvg @ Jun 8th 2009 3:47PM]

@UnixSystemsEngineer
"Windows that's even TRIED to be faster than a previous verison."

Yeah, I guess all that work they do on pre-fetching, adding CPU/core support, graphics model streamlining... that's not about performance at all.

"Windows still has most of the same issues it's always had, while Apple innovates with things like Grand Central and OpenCL."

Obviously you haven't kept up with the tech on the Windows side of the world. To its credit, Apple packages up their bits of tech and then brilliantly markets it. To suggest that Microsoft and its partners haven't been working on (and have *already shipped*) multi-core and GPGPU technologies is simply ignorance, though.

[Andy TGD @ Jun 8th 2009 4:07PM]

@MegaBite

Don't even get me started about how you can't even cut and frickin' paste files in OS!! Ugggh.

[MioTheGreat @ Jun 8th 2009 4:45PM]

>while Apple innovates with things like Grand Central and OpenCL.

Uh, actually DirectX11 has features comparable to OpenCL.

7 includes multitouch support throughout the OS. Even Vista has a better graphics model (Look! I don't have to log out to switch between two different integrated chipsets! Ohh! And I can recover from a video driver fault gracefully!) What else is there? Powershell? That's a relatively innovative CLI paradigm. 7 isn't a big release by any standard, but accusing Apple of being innovative with 10.6 is laughable.

[WickedEast @ Jun 8th 2009 6:07PM]

Sadly, the fashion-conscious-popularity-hungry technophile will fall for all Apple crap.

[Look_Around_You @ Jun 8th 2009 1:33PM]

Right, Apple.

And both will still manage to be on more machine than OSX.

Cant you try selling something positive about OSX. Wouldn't hurt.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Jun 8th 2009 2:21PM]

How did a comment from someone too illiterate to read the feed about all the new OS X features get high ranked?

.. oh yeah.

[James @ Jun 8th 2009 3:23PM]

@Unix

The better question is; How did a tool like yourself get out of the shed? I was pretty sure i locked it.

[damiaking @ Jun 8th 2009 1:33PM]

ouch!!!!!!!

[Master Bruce @ Jun 8th 2009 1:34PM]

Good ole competitive marketing. To Mark's point, not a lot to back up their point.

[L @ Jun 8th 2009 1:34PM]

Getting a little desperate?

[mike @ Jun 8th 2009 2:51PM]

hardly, look at the OS X adoption, its accelerating, adding another 25 million users in the last year or so.

you honestly think don't think WINDOWS SEVEN is a PR job? get real.

Meanwhile Snow Leopard has ... well.. been 90% rewritten, and in the really deep core tech. That's a Service Pack to you? ha.

[Michael Scrip @ Jun 8th 2009 2:29PM]

Cue Microsoft Laptop Hunters commercial:

"Our stuff is cheaper!"

Seriously though... Apple commercials say that Windows computers have problems... and all Microsoft can say is that Windows computers are cheaper?

[Flowah @ Jun 8th 2009 2:50PM]

Actually they claim to be cheaper and have all the same features/power. It's like, why spend extra money when you don't have to.

That's why they start the commercial with "this is what I want" and then look at a Mac, say its too much $$, and then find a windows machine that has what they want for less. You can argue about whether it's true or not, but that's what the commercial is saying. You make it sound like Apple is a full course meal at a gourmet restaurant and Microsoft comes on with a commercial for McDonald's and says "but we're cheaper." That wasn't their message at all.

[WickedEast @ Jun 8th 2009 6:13PM]

They desperately needed material to fill those presentations too -- they have so little new to offer, only talking about their products would fall short of the allotted time.

[CJ @ Jun 8th 2009 7:31PM]

Michael Strip

Er... Yes?

Windows say their computers are cheaper, and all APPLE can say are "blllleeeeeeh, YOU SUCK FOR BUYING WINDOWS".