Despite the fact that its own operating system OS X 10.6 "Snow
Leopard" is experiencing a fair share of problems, shipping with
a vulnerable
version of Flash and having a bug where logging into guest
accounts deletes
all account data, Apple isn't afraid to fling mud at its larger
rival, Microsoft. This summer, Apple's executives already
blasted Microsoft's upcoming Windows 7, and despite a negative
response from the blogosphere, Apple appears to be ready to snipe at
Windows 7 yet again.
BusinessWeek states
that Apple will be launching new "Get
a Mac" ads coinciding with the debut of Microsoft's Windows
7. The ads will portray the new OS as ineffectual and boast of
Macs' superiority. Apple thinks that the ads have the potential
to lure many more users away from Windows.
Describes analysts
at BusinessWeek, "It will likely make the case that Macs
are less susceptible to viruses and are best suited to its popular
iPods and and iPhones. And look for it to poke fun at Microsoft
for making XP owners go through an arduous process to upgrade to
Windows 7 -- one that includes backing up all their files to an
external drive, reformatting their PC, and then reinstalling all of
their old programs, assuming they still have the CDs."
Phil
Schiller, Apple's senior vice president for Worldwide Product
Marketing believes that Microsoft's customers will forsake the
company when Windows 7 hits. He cites what he considers an
arduous installation process when upgrading from XP. He states,
"Any user that reads all those steps is probably going to freak
out. If you have to go through all that, why not just buy a
Mac?"
Technically speaking, Mr. Schiller may be correct
in his belief that some customers will switch. Apple saw its
customer numbers rise with the release of Windows 98, Windows 2000,
Windows XP and Windows Vista. However, there is a small chance
that this trend will reverse itself, given Microsoft's more
aggressive marketing, its unprecedented public beta, and strong
media enthusiasm about the new product.
Snow Leopard has
Windows 7 beat slightly on price, for non-students, but for college
students the two
are tied. And Windows 7 offers more new and revised
features than Snow Leopard.
Unafraid to make a prediction,
Mr. Schiller tells BusinessWeek, "I expect Snow Leopard
will have an amazing upgrade rate -- and Windows 7 won't."