Does Microsoft Have to Listen to Sour Apple?
July 17, 2009 by Jason Bean
Filed under Computers
I’m sure you’ve seen the Microsoft ads that have been airing on TV lately. They show an individual who’s in need of a new computer and they offer them to buy the computer for them if they find what they want for less than a $1000 dollars.
What you may not have heard of coming out of this advertising is that it appears to be working. Kevin Turner, Microsoft Chief Operating Officer got a call from Apple’s lawyers wanting him to stop running the ads. Yep, that’s right, Apple called Microsoft and asked them to stop running the ads. They didn’t want them running the ads because they didn’t think they were truthful, they lowered their prices, only by about $100, and therefore Microsoft selling on the fact that you can get a new PC laptop significantly cheaper than an Apple.
I like Microsoft. I think Apple makes some very nicely designed products that work well. I don’t think there’s anything someone can do with an Apple that I can’t accomplish with my PC.
Microsoft doesn’t look like they’re going to back down at all. In fact, they’ve also announced they’ll be opening some new Microsoft stores in close proximity to Apple stores. I’m not sure if agree with that strategy, but it will be interesting to see what happens with each and what news stories will start hitting the channels when they start appearing in neighborhoods soon.
Apple has long derided Microsoft and Windows with those “Get a Mac” ads that show very exaggerated stereotypes of Windows experience that are not common for most people, and they complain about Microsoft?
Microsoft doesn’t really deride Macs in any way except point out (truthfully) that Macs cost more than a similar PC. Maybe Microsoft got the price of one of the Macs wrong, but that’s not a biggie in my opinion.