If Microsoft gets only 20 percent of any market it enters, they consider that effort a failure and it would be, because Microsoft's business is scaled and its cost structure is optimized for really, really big numbers of mindless and fairly undemanding customers, most of whom wouldn't pay $99 per year.

That takes care of Microsoft, but here's the real beauty of this Apple strategy: it takes care of Google, too.

Though Google has a very different approach than Microsoft does to almost every product and market segment, in this one aspect they are identical. Google, too, aims for maximal market share, which means they can't expect customers to pay and their cost structure has to be maintained such that they make a profit without being paid.

Which leaves a lucrative niche all to Apple.

- Roberto X Cringely (em "MeMobile, You Kaput")

ps: O negrito no primeiro parágrafo, claro, é meu. Mindless customers?!?

Nevermind: e não deixe de ler todo o artigo do Roberto. Vale 10x o batido artigo da Veja da semana, sobre as "inovações" da Apple. Babação de ovo repetitiva pracas...