Changing Of The Guard
Is mobile computing a threat or an opportunity for technology’s incumbent leaders such as Microsoft, Intel and HP? They would likely say that it’s more of an opportinity than a threat. But others believe that it’s an opportunity for new leaders such as Nokia and Ericsson to step in and become the technology industry’s leaders. The thinking goes that technology isn’t about computing anymore, its about mobility, communications and multi-media messaging. So who better to lead this revolution than the companies paving the road for such technologies. It’s an interesting idea, but the one problem is that Microsoft and Intel were successful because anyone could build a PC and ship it with Windows. Over time a few big players grabbed the market. But in mobility, the vendors are dependent on a limited number of mobile operators to sell their wares. And it’s extremely difficult to enter the market much less stay in it. At the current rate that operators are moving with wireless data services, Microsoft and Intel have nothing to fear.
