Will Microsoft be obsolete soon? That is what a new report by Gartner forecasts, according to Yahoo! Finance on April 4. While many still rely on Microsoft products, the growing reliance on Google and Apple products in the growing mobile market seems to be eating away at the Microsoft stronghold.
Gartner, a tech research firm, believes that by 2017 Microsoft could be dwarfed by the volume of Android operating systems, with Google driving them. Of course Apple continues to grow its market share as well. The future of the market seems to be in the development of strong tablets and mobile phones, and this is where Microsoft has yet to develop a product that can really compete, many argue. Microsoft has introduced its own smartphone products, but they have not caught on with consumers nearly as deeply as the Android and Apple devices.
Numbers indicate that Google shares are growing while both Apple and Microsoft shares have declined. While Apple has fallen significantly, many watching the trends seem to believe that is related to growing competition and the obvious changes in leadership rather than sales or product concerns. The Apple prices may stabilize or rebound, but Microsoft doesn't seem to inspire the same confidence.
Of course when it comes to the traditional computer market, Microsoft still has a strong presence and that does not seem likely to change. The question seems to be whether they hold on to that and hope it is enough to keep them competitive, or do they take risks and find a way to edge into the growing tablet and mobile phone market with successful, buzzworthy products. Many would be surprised to hear the predictions that Microsoft could be obsolete in a few years, though their need to make changes in the face of the booming mobile market is a challenge for them.
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