Apple has a very good operating system, but minuscule market share. Windows,
by contrast, has a much clunkier operating system, but also much larger market
share. So far so boring. But how about this: Microsoft
admits that Apple’s operating system is much easier to use. That’s
news. And it happens in today’s NYT. But the Microsoft executive in question,
J Allard, isn’t talking about PCs, he’s talking about phones. And he’s not taking
responsibility for the problem, either: instead, he’s blaming the wireless carriers.
“Wireless carriers kept Microsoft from making good phone software,”
Mr. Allard said. “I think the iPhone came out and showed people a great
experience.”
Microsoft is capable of making good software (I’m a fan of the old Word 5.1
for Mac), but it hasn’t demonstrated much ability to make great operating systems,
for PCs or phones or anything else. That said, however, if it really was getting
pushback from the carriers – and I have no doubts that it was –
then we can at least look forward to some kind of incremental improvements in
the much-hated Windows Mobile.