Listening to Google CEO talk about the importance of a “new platform” while noting that “enterprise-focused” engineers are a small percentage of the company’s engineering team, I flashed back to 1984.
When Apple introduced the Macintosh with that Ridley Scott commercial, the company was making a statement about the “cultural implications of personal computers.” Apple’s deliberate shunning of IT departments, Steve Jobs’ goal of democratizing technology, the 1984 slogan “The Computer For The Rest of Us”, the 1998 slogan “Think Different” — each are examples of a company positioned as the alternative to “the enterprise.”
For most of the 25 succeeding years, that positioning has been an uphill battle. The protagonists? First IBM, then Microsoft, which replaced IBM as “the enterprise” platform-of-choice — because most computers were bought by “the enterprise” not by the consumer. Last year, global laptop sales exceeded desktop sales for the first time, thanks in large part to consumer (not enterprise) demand for netbooks. Apple, which announced a shift in focus to laptops in 2003, has 75 percent of the laptop market for machines costing at least a grand. Yes, some of these machines are in “the enterprise” but they represent another break on how personal computers are perceived and used.
Then there are smart phones.
In 2008, we bought 173.6 million smartphone ‘units’, according to PhoneMag. We’ll buy 159 million laptops this year, says The Guardian. Analysts right and left point to smartphones and mobile devices as the future of the Internet (and thus the future of computing).
Mobile is clearly computing’s next phase, and Google’s introduction of Android (a “platform”) and Chrome (a “platform”) might be viewed, one day, in the same historical light as Apple’s introduction of the Macintosh: paradigm-shift time.
Its rise has been phenomenal and, some say, unmatched. In 10 years, Google grew from being the new kid on the blog to “number seven in global brand power,” according to Gartner analyst Whit Andrews. Inquiries about Google from IT professionals are at an all-time high, according to Hung LeHong, even though Schmidt says Google doesn’t think about the market segments like the analysts do, because the line between “enterprise” and “personal” is disappearing.
Google is on track to dethrone Microsoft, which seems caught by incumbent organization paralysis in the face of disruption (Christensen). MSFT today: $27.60, trending down. GOOG: $536.71, trending up. Oh, IBM? $123.53, trending down. And AAPL, $188.85, trending down.
Listen to this snippet, where Schmidt talks about Google and “the enterprise.”
Google CEO Eric Schmidt At Gartner Symposion
This post first appeared at WiredPen.
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5 Comments, Comment or Ping
RLeslein
It will be interesting to see how things shape out when Google finally delivers an operating system (http://tiny.cc/googopsys), and what impact it will have on the enterprise domination by Microsoft.
I would imagine it would be free, which would be a wonderful incentive for cost-cutting business/government. Then again: http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/city-news/free-email-to-cost-city-15-mil/
Nov 3rd, 2009
Chelsey Glasson
I had no idea that Google was developing its own PC operating system until reading this post. A USA Today article written by Jefferson Graham, titled “Google Plans Chrome Operating System,” brought me up-to-date. The article is located here:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2009-07-08-google-chrome-operating-system_N.htm
In his article, Graham states that Google’s effort in creating a PC operating system, “has rekindled questions about whether either [Microsoft or Google] has what it takes to diversify beyond their respective core businesses.” After listening to the video of Eric Schmidt provided in the above blog post, it appears Google is making a substantial effort to move beyond its initial successful efforts.
@RLESLEIN I found the article you mentioned titled “Free Email to Cost City $1.5 Million Extra” very interesting. In using Google’s free e-mail services, I wonder if the Los Angeles City will lose the ability to access staff e-mails in the event of misconduct or for record keeping purposes.
Nov 5th, 2009
Zachary Midles
Years ago, technology enabled us to have an office in our home. Now, we can have an office in our airline seat with our laptops, or in the car with our cell phones. Technology has essentially given us the ability to have access to work at all times, not just as work. As we turn to technology to make our life’s easier, online companies compete more and more to get our attention.
According to this article:
http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/29/technology/microsoft_yahoo/index.htm, written by David Goldman, it talks about how Microsoft bought Yahoo with the intention that together, they could become the search leaders online. As the “Google the Platform” article states however, Google is on track to dethrone Microsoft. I think Microsoft is aware of this and is taking precautions to avoid this online takeover. I certainly believe Microsoft buying Yahoo shows concern. In ten years, I wonder, who will be the digital enterprise?
Nov 7th, 2009
nicholassimon
If you are interested in alternative operating systems be sure to check out Haiku OS. The Alpha version has just been released, it is compatible with BeOS and is something to look out for in the future. Requires just a 2GB partition or can be run off a USB flash drive. Read more about it here:
http://ninjarabbits.blogspot.com/2009/11/download-haiku-os-alpha-1-release.html
Nov 9th, 2009
Apple iSlate
The iSlate is going to be the best new platform. Apple has always been good at pushing products.
Nov 10th, 2009
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