04 June 2010 | Author: D. Warburton Search Copywriter
Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer has denied Steve Jobs' claim that the PC is losing relevance in a world increasingly dominated by portable devices such as smartphones and tablet computers.
Interviewed by Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal during the recent D8 conference, Ballmer said: "I think people are going to be using PCs in greater and greater numbers for many years to come.
"I think PCs are going to continue to shift in form factor. PCs will look different next year, year after, year after that."
Earlier this week, Apple boss Jobs predicted a future where mobile devices will reduce the need for conventional desktop and laptop computers, following the huge success of the iPad and the news that Apple's market cap beat that of Microsoft for the first time in 20 years.
However Ballmer believes these new gadgets will fit comfortably alongside computing mainstays due to their differing functions.
"Nothing that people do on a PC today is going to get less relevant tomorrow," Ballmer said.
"It's not clear to me that ... there will exist a general-purpose device that does everything you want, because I don't think the whole world will be able to afford five devices per person."
According to ComputerworldUK, the Microsoft boss agreed that entertainment-oriented devices such as the iPad would grow in popularity, and did not deny that that his company was currently lagging behind in the mobile market. However, he did not view the relative lack of success of Windows Mobile as suggesting a bleak future for Microsoft's mobile offerings.
"We're dealing with the fact that we're no longer at the front of that pack. But it's a very dynamic business," Ballmer explained.
"The market leaders have probably shifted over twice even in the last five to six years. The fact that the market is pretty dynamic, I have to view as our opportunity."
Microsoft boss rejects Apple's claim that the PC is dead
Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer has denied Steve Jobs' claim that the PC is losing relevance in a world increasingly dominated by portable devices such as smartphones and tablet computers.Interviewed by Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal during the recent D8 conference, Ballmer said: "I think people are going to be using PCs in greater and greater numbers for many years to come.
"I think PCs are going to continue to shift in form factor. PCs will look different next year, year after, year after that."
Earlier this week, Apple boss Jobs predicted a future where mobile devices will reduce the need for conventional desktop and laptop computers, following the huge success of the iPad and the news that Apple's market cap beat that of Microsoft for the first time in 20 years.
However Ballmer believes these new gadgets will fit comfortably alongside computing mainstays due to their differing functions.
"Nothing that people do on a PC today is going to get less relevant tomorrow," Ballmer said.
"It's not clear to me that ... there will exist a general-purpose device that does everything you want, because I don't think the whole world will be able to afford five devices per person."
According to ComputerworldUK, the Microsoft boss agreed that entertainment-oriented devices such as the iPad would grow in popularity, and did not deny that that his company was currently lagging behind in the mobile market. However, he did not view the relative lack of success of Windows Mobile as suggesting a bleak future for Microsoft's mobile offerings.
"We're dealing with the fact that we're no longer at the front of that pack. But it's a very dynamic business," Ballmer explained.
"The market leaders have probably shifted over twice even in the last five to six years. The fact that the market is pretty dynamic, I have to view as our opportunity."
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