Microsoft was the first to put AI on devices with its Copilot+ launch months ago. It caught Google and Apple sleeping and seemed poised to own the AI space with the help of OpenAI and ChatGPT.
However, Microsoft’s execution was so flawed that it isn’t clear if anyone is even using these Copilot+ features now. Recall is still being held back, and buyers are confused about what is or is not an AI PC, given there are no desktop AI PCs, gaming AI PCs, or workstation AI PCs in the market or on the near-term horizon.
This has given both Apple and Google time to close the competitive gap. Apple announced its Apple Intelligence initiative in June and then rolled it out last week in a way that should have more general Apple users using desktop and smartphone AI than Windows users are. Google has also begun to roll out AI features, so both companies are taking advantage of Microsoft’s extremely poor execution.
The big difference for Apple is that it has started offering AI experiences in Apple stores with 15-minute sessions so that Apple users and potential users can play with the technology and become more familiar with it. There is no similar effort from either Microsoft or Google.
Let’s discuss how this is likely to benefit Apple and its users during this AI rollout. We’ll then close with my Product of the Week, my new favorite phone: the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which I now carry daily.
The Problem With People and Features
We are creatures of habit. We tend to like to do things as we’ve always done them. This is problematic for companies like Microsoft and feature-rich products like Office 365 and Windows because their advantage over other offerings is their more features.
What makes this problematic is that if users don’t use the massive number of features, it is relatively easy to migrate those users to a competing offering because the competition doesn’t have to bridge all of the features, only the ones most people actually use. We are seeing this happen today with Google Workspace, which, while not as complete as Office 365, does what most people want done and is far cheaper during a time of belt-tightening.
If you don’t get people to use and like the parts of your product that make it unique, even if dominant, a lower-cost competitor can easily migrate those users to their competing offering. To overcome this, if you have a complex product or a unique set of features like, say, Copilot+, you need to promote using these features and remind users of their value. Otherwise, your ability to retain your customer base is significantly degraded.
Internet Explorer Example
We saw this happen with Internet Explorer. Initially blindsided by Netscape Navigator, Microsoft executed exceptionally well and ultimately stole the market away.
Netscape’s downfall stemmed from two strategic missteps. First, they openly challenged Microsoft. Then, instead of making Navigator a front end to a suite of compelling web tools, Netscape chose to compete directly with Microsoft Office. This shift placed them on Microsoft’s turf, a battlefield they were not equipped to win. Netscape lost that battle and became part of history.
Then, after rising to around 98% market share, Microsoft defunded IE much as it has now largely defunded Windows. Google came forward with a version of its Chrome browser that seemed to work better than IE, and Microsoft bled market share.
Given that Microsoft Edge — the browser that followed Internet Explorer — is now based on Google’s Chromium technology, Google owns the browser space and isn’t repeating the mistakes that Netscape and Microsoft made.