The problem with dominating their major market is that leaves them no where to grow. You know why microsoft pays a dividend? 'cuz they have absolutely no other use for their excess cash.. no new businesses to invest in, nothing.. so they might as well give it back to their investors. Their business is flat. In one yr, the stock will be at $30, in 3 yrs, it will be $30, in 6 yrs.. $30. Apple is in so many different markets. They are not dominating in any of these markets, but they are growing rapidly in each one. And they keep their cash to use for emerging business opportunities.
What are you talking about? Windows 7 does not copy apple, windows phone 7 series in its initial stages looks to have out-appled apple (Gizmodo quote), and yet you still cling to the 80's notion that Microsoft copies everything they do from apple. If I'm in the 90's you're in the 80's. Apple has continued to be profitable while losing marketshare over the years, what does that tell you? They are making cheaper products. Avenues like the iPhone and iPad and iPod do open up other areas of profitability, but as a whole their products have had a hard time standing the test of time. Apple has not had an innovative idea since the initial concept of the iPhone, heck the iPad is an iPhone on steroids. Furthermore, are you actually about to tell me that if apple did open their market to other manufacturers like HP their profitability would not skyrocket?! If there was a $400 HP Macbook Pro on sale hundreds of thousands of Americans would make the switch today. When I talk about PC compatable I am not referencing "can I import a document from a mac to a pc", I am referencing the notion that I can buy a mac computer from other companies other than apple. Re-read my post. When Steve Jobs finally leaves that company I think mac/pc wars will start to get much much more interesting, until then...
Apple's market share has done nothing but grow for the last ten years. A quick Googling will show you that. Apple has done nothing but make money since ~1997. Again, a quick Googling will show you that, too. I never said anything about opening up their OS to other manufacturers. Apple has consistently said they're not interested in doing that, so I don't know what to tell you there. And the Reviews of Windows 7 have been good from what little I've read. Maybe they finally got it right. But your assertion that their phone 'out Apple'd Apple'....can't say we haven't heard that one before. Time (and sales) will tell. And if you think they haven't had an innovative idea since the iPhone....that was what, 4 years ago? Wow....they're really slacking.
