Apple-Microsoft Redux?

Much has been written about Apple's GUI innovations in the 80s, but its closed licensing allowed Microsoft to leverage Intel and PC manufacturers to market dominance.

Twenty five years later - we have a wildly successful iPhone launch and Microsoft says it has no plans to get into "smart phones" just focus on delivering Windows Mobile to Samsung, HTC, Motorola and other device manufacturers.

Is history repeating itself?

Lots of differences this time around.

Microsoft is a lot more careful about market moves with the US antitrust consent decree extended another 2 years, and the EU ever watchful. The 800 pound gorilla in the mobile device market is the Nokia-Symbian combo - by some estimates Symbian has almost 60% market share (surprised the EU is not concerned about that while it is about Microsoft, Intel and Qualcomm, but I digress). The big (mega) application vendors and service providers in this market are the telcos.

Indeed, Apple and Microsoft (and soon Google) are bit players in this market in spite of all the hype around iPhone. Instead of focusing on each other like they did in the 80s, they have plenty of other vendors to focus on.