Although company executives and CEOs spend most of their public speaking time discussing affairs concerning their own business and products, it’s always interesting to hear what the big names have to say about rivals. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Apple CEO Tim Cook was asked whether the ongoing Mac vs. Windows PC battle was in any way similar to the the rivalry between iOS and Android. This analogy is frequently used by commentators and tech fans alike, after all, but Cook completely disagrees that the two famous rivalries are comparable, and here’s why.
There’s always a lot of talk about the fragmented nature of Android. This term is used to describe the many different variations of the software currently in circulation, and is part of the reason why, when Google rolls out an update, only a small fraction of devices can actually download and install it immediately. While Cook was very careful not to explicitly use the term “fragmented,” he did essentially portray Android as such, describing the mobile software as a collection of smaller entities that equate to one large entity, much like Europe.
When you’re standing the Mac up against a Windows PC, Cook argues, the situation is a lot more cut-and-dried, because you have two single companies each developing and updating one single, universally-recognized operating system. But Android takes so many different forms that Cook believes renders any comparisons with Mac and Windows grossly inaccurate:
Android is many things. How many people who use a Kindle know that they’re using Android? And you see what Samsung is doing by putting more and more software on top. I think it’s night and day. The compare is so off.
He also stressed that in making his point, there was no bias because of his position at Apple, adding that knowledgeable folks who understood the PC world “at a deep level” would also echo his sentiments.
With literally thousands of unique devices running varied flavors of Android, Cook certainly does have a point, and although the open source nature of Google’s software does have its various advantages and shortcomings too, comparing it to Windows would be quite a way off the mark.
What do you think – is Android vs. iOS just a modern-day PC vs. Mac? Do share your thoughts below!
(Source: WallStreetJournal)
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