Apple, Google, Microsoft and Yahoo compared at the macro level
By Vlad Savov 
posted January 25th 2010 3:49AM
posted January 25th 2010 3:49AM
posted January 25th 2010 3:49AM
A look back on popular stories from today in a specific year.
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i like how that your picture makes it seem like apple is on par with google and microsoft.
nothing in that picture says anything about competency; only that they are in the game. Your post indicates that you do not like Apple regardless of what it does well or what it can do better.
well he is right
This is the full version
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2010/01/500x_empires_03.jpg
@a dark day
Actually, based on his comment history, I gather he is an Apple customer and not exceptionally biased. If so, I think you owe him an apology.
@KinGKasH
Yeah, lame post. Not to mention Apple currently has a larger market cap than Google and they are increasingly at odds with each other competitively.
@KinGKasH Yea, especially when you look at the full list, you can clearly see they cut off right when Apple started to fade in comparison. ahh, the power of the media.
@onlymyrailgun
why is zune not considered a mobile device?
@(Unverified)
definitely. the truncated list makes yahoo look like a putz. poor yahoo, nobody loves them anymore...
@a dumb cat
Zune would be music hardware.
I would say the MS should have a faded dot in mobile Hardware at least. All the work that Danger have been doing has got to end up as a phone right? From what I have heard they are work separately form the WinMo team. Think there is enough evidence to assume MS will have mobile hardware - if Google can be afforded the same.
@KinGKasH
Oh yeah - why was the chart truncated? Its not like the original was massive. Would have save other asking about enterprise software and gaming hardware.
Yea, both thumbs down for posting a truncated list, Engadget articles like this appear to be deliberately inflammatory, misleading (traffic baiting?).
@Nokia N900
Engadget pwned. Thanks man.
@(Unverified) You know, if we'd cut off a line higher, Apple would have no gaps in its list. If we'd selected lines to get a representative picture, you'd moan about our methods of selection. The one thing we couldn't do was post a 847px tall image -- though the thing you could easily do was click and look at the full chart for yourself.
Finally, it doesn't really matter who ticks what box, as someone has already said the quality of your service in each category is far more important than your mere presence.
@KinGKasH
Owned @ Engadget.
Seems like CES must not have been good to Engadget.... Hmmm *Puts flame proof helmet on* Bring on the flame bait!!! Charge!!!!!
@KinGKasH you are correct. Left to right is should be Apple, MS (alphabetical since they are tied) Google (missing 1.5 things listed) then Y! (why are they even on the list?)
Or even MS first since they are working on Pink.
@KinGKasH Well actually if you look at the full picture Apple is in more markets than Google. Apple is missing in 5 categories while Google is missing 4 AND still developing 2, not to mention that Apple has a larger market cap then Google. So next time...look before you post ignorant comments.
@Nokia N900 Good job dude! Is that what we call "caught with your pants down", Engadget? LOL!
@Nokia N900 But that would be too unedited ... too factual. It would portray reality.
@excelsium
There have been too many of these lately.
This sort of thing doesn't exactly reinforce
confidence in engadget's credibility.
@a dark day Google is not in the hardware game. The Nexus One is an HTC phone, standard spec for their new units and Google worked with them to help design it. They are not the ones directly contracting to build it like a Zune or iPhone.
@(Unverified) Everything is at par (google, Microsoft and even Apple) .. but my eyes are all onto Yahoo.. -- Seeing it crumbles to the ground is just disappointing. As they said, the company is as good as its CEO, but on Y!'s case as worst as its CEO. Carol 'loser' Bartz details: http://bit.ly/is-carol-bartz-a-loser
I don't need a chart to tell that it's all about personal choice. Some people need the mindless simplicity of an iPhone, some people like to tinker and endlessly improve and change so an Android or MS phone would be better for you. Why bother debate? You like what you like.
If anything this chart just shows that they are mostly all capable of doing the same things anyway so it just doesn't matter.
@shogunmaster
I like how in a post espousing the merits of choice you both subtly bash the iPhone and praise Android and WinMo.
So much for understanding that no device is ever truly better or worse than another for all people.
@shogunmaster
I still don't get why they put yahoo in the post. Was it to make the other 3 look good?
Is this survey only being limited to certain industries? It seemingly leaves out Microsoft's two gaming divisions of Xbox and Games for Windows and one could even argue that Enterprise is its own category that Apple doesn't really play any part in (to my knowledge anyway).
@Biopsidy
Looking at companies on a macro level but then leaving out one of Microsoft's biggest advantages over the rest - the Enterprise arena i.e. Server OS, Active Directory, Exchange Server, SQL Server, etc.
Is this just specific to the consumer level?
@Biopsidy
Are you kidding? Those are huge money losers.. How about omitting the Mac for Apple? Duh! That's the whole widget.
@Wesscoast
They neatly included online retail but forgot offline (as in bricks and mortar) retail. Another billion dollar business for Apple.
Microsoft's lead in the enterprise should be noted as well. It's a big barrier to Google.
Nevertheless it is an interesting chart and fun to look at.
@Biopsidy It was found out above that Engadget pretty much BIASED the entire artcle by cutting off the chart where Apple starts to fall off... see: http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2010/01/500x_empires_03.jpg
Ha, and then Engadget tried to defend themselves with some BS aboue pixel length. They could have just shrunken it, or put the two halfves side by side. They don't even need photoshop for that one.
The chat is not completely correct.
Google doesn't make their own Nexus. HTC helped Google to design and manufacture it.
There are many Microsoft Windows Mobile Phones but none of them designed completely by Microsoft.
@engadgetjp
Also, there is the Enterprise and gaming hardware categories for Microsoft, Google and Apple?
Microsoft has PC, XBOX 360, Zune HD, and windows mobile for gaming.
Google has Android platform for apps and games
Apple has iPhone/iPod Touch/Tablet for Apps, and Games.
iPhone has GTA Chinatown Wars too!
What a biased chart NY Times has posted.
@engadgetjp i don't think it's biased. I think the "reporter" just didn't know what they were doing.
@engadgetjp
You know...Companies like Asus similarly "help" Apple make hardware.
@Tes but Apple actually designed the hardware and all of the components
@Brent1700
They don't design the Intel Chips they use, they don't design the mobile processors they use, they don't design the LCD screens, they don't design the memory...they buy these components from the likes of Samsung, LG and Intel.
Stop being so sycophantic
@Tes
Whoa, I had to look that word up
@Tes I misspoke. That's not what I meant. I meant. They chose which components they were going to use and how they would integrate into the final design. They were very much involved in the whole process. Unlike google which just said, "hey htc build us a phone". And btw before you use egregious words, you should look them up ;)
@Brent1700
No they don't. That's the job of an ODM. ODM's design 99.9% of the electronics. They generally do the real engineering in the case design as well. Apple does the 'designing' as in the marketing aspect of design.
Asus and Quanta are the two big ODMs Apple has and continues to use.
@Brent1700
You have no idea of what involvement Goolge had with HTC. The same way you have no idea what involvement Apple has with it's ODMs.
As far the public goes, the relationships are equivalent. Google and Apple export the design and manufacturing of a product to an ODM. They have requirements, sometimes hard such as specific components, other times soft such as overall memory, or power specs, volume, etc. The ODM then creates a design adhering to specs. After approval, they manufacture.
@M3 That's not really true. Apple DID design the iphone just like they design every other product they make. Google DID NOT design the nexus one, they obviously approved the design because, well, it's being made but the nexus one was obviously designed by htc...
@Brent1700
.....Seriously, are you this daft? Ok how about posting the Memo that proves you know more about the inner workings of Apple and Google?
Neither of these companies has released details of the full process under which they were developed. Like I said before, as far as the public is concerned, both contracted ODMs to design and build their devices.
Do you work for either Apple or Intel specifically dealing with this process? If not, then STFU on specifics because you're just making bad guesses. You have no idea if Apple played a bigger or smaller role then Google in designing the iPhone vs Nexus One.
@M3 I'm not "making bad guesses". I know I'm right and... wtf? what's the point?
@Brent1700
Rofl, then your knowledge is severely flawed. You don't know what google did and what apple did. Just like almost everyone else that says they know the same thing. The people who know what either company did was involved in that process directly or indirectly and is unlikely to come onto engadget and speak about it in the comment system.
The point is in essence STFU if you're not willing to specify that your statement is your own speculation and has no merit to legitimacy.
@M3 It's not my own speculation. It is a generally accepted fact that htc built and designed the nexus one and apple designed, did not "build", but was heavily involved in the process of the building of the iphone. as for legitimacy, the company that built the product usually repairs the product as well. for example, the nexus one is serviced and repaired by htc, the iphone is serviced and repaired only by apple... i'm done. good day sir.
@Brent1700
Rofl... that's still speculation. General acceptance does not make something fact. It's still speculation. The reason things like this get 'general' acceptance is because one person like you touts it as fact and that spreads. Douche bags like you are the source of most misinformation in society. STFU and society will likely be better.
Do you know what Apple does to service a product? Many companies outsource the servicing of products as well. You still know nothing.
@M3
"Q) Reporter asks why it’s necessary for Google to design the phone. A) Google says it’s inaccurate to say that it designed the phone. It’s Peter [Chou, from HTC]’s work. Google says it handled the software."
just sayin...
source: http://digital.venturebeat.com/2010/01/05/nexus-one-2/
Wow, Yahoo needs to pick up its game
@camroncake yahoo is dead. in ten years they will have vanished.
@Brent1700
Maybe in the US, but not necessarily in other countries.
@camroncake I think you mean they need to take the dot under search engine away from Yahoo