Finally it is clear that Apple's record profit is at Microsoft's expense.
Note that some major acquisition costs are responsible for the loss this quarter. Also given the right moves Microsoft seems to be making (for e.g. Surface announcement and Low pricing of the Windows 8 upgrades), it will be interesting to see what direction it takes from here onwards.
This loss is b/c of the aQuantive write down. This loss has nothing to do with Apple (not to say Apple's success isn't influencing what Microsoft is doing.)
From article: "Earlier this month, the company said it was taking a one-time charge of $6.2 billion, almost exactly the amount it paid for aQuantive, an online advertising company it bought in 2007 for $6.3 billion."
Given the number of people I know who use iTunes on windows and have greif so think about getting a Mac instead is only equaled by the number of people who do music and saw apple buy up the good players software and make the mac the more robust platform.
But I bet Office runs better under windows than it does under osx, its the way - code bitching, just hate it.
Note that some major acquisition costs are responsible for the loss this quarter. Also given the right moves Microsoft seems to be making (for e.g. Surface announcement and Low pricing of the Windows 8 upgrades), it will be interesting to see what direction it takes from here onwards.