Microsoft Corporation (MSFT): Return Of The Start Menu

Not the Apple way
While all of us have grown somewhat accustomed to the Apple way — letting the design gods of Cupertino show us the path to enlightened design wisdom, Microsoft has never been purely proactive. Apple’s designs have set it apart and redefined many of the products that the company makes; those designers have been well rewarded for their efforts — interestingly, recent reports suggest that the next iPhone refresh will be along the lines of some current Microsoft designs rather than the classic Steve Jobs conceptions. Apple is that rare pioneer that heads out into the wilderness and people follow.

Back here in the real world, or more specifically the business world, not all companies will succeed with so brazen an approach; in this realm, those who do not adapt, die. At some level, Microsoft may be guilty of surrendering by changing some of the details of Windows 8 to more thoroughly reflect the wants of users, but if the product gets better, it will allow Microsoft to attract or keep more users. A growing base in its core customer base has never been more important.

The Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) challenge
Perhaps one of the motivations for Microsoft to address customer complaints so rapidly is the increasing pressure Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) is putting on the company. As more and more applications move to the cloud, Google Apps is challenging Microsoft Office. Redmond responded with Office 365, but Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) keeps upping the ante, having just released the Chrome OS to run on a new line of laptop-like devices that rely on the cloud. Ultimately, as Google continues to exert pressure on Microsoft, shareholders should see defensive moves as positives. Call it a surrender or a win — tweaking Windows 8 is a victory for both shareholders and users alike.

The article Microsoft’s Inevitable Windows 8 Surrender originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Doug Ehrman has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Apple and Google and owns shares of Apple, Google, and Microsoft.

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