Microsoft Lashes out at Sony and Apple - Signs of Desperation?

[Starlight]

Recently Microsoft lashed out against two of its competitors by taking jabs.

The casualties in the latest wave of insults from Microsoft are none other than Apple and Sony. It seems like trash talking might just be a corporate mandate over at Microsoft.

However, some might argue that such mudslinging could be due to insecurity or desperation.

During a recent conference Steve Ballmer, head honcho of Microsoft, took a cheap shot at Apple. He chastised Apple for having such an expensive device such as the iPhone when Microsoft could make something that does the same thing for much less - around $150 to $200. It seems like Ballmer is indicating that Microsoft could do a better job of selling smartphones than Apple, which is contrary to the sales figures.

Aaron Greenberg, another boss over at Microsoft did a number on Sony by going into Microsoft's mantra about how the PS3 is too expensive compared to the Xbox 360, which retails for as low as $200. Starting to see a pattern here? Of course Greenberg would feel that the PS3 should be priced as low as the Xbox 360 Arcade.

This is despite the fact the PS3 has a harddrive, wireless adapter and blu-ray player. He also made it a point to put down Sony's prize game, Killzone 2 for selling less than the downloadable content for Grand Theft Auto IV. This was a bit ridiculous considering Killzone 2 was only out for two days.

It almost sounds as if Microsoft has some internal brainwashing seminar going on behind closed doors to train everyone at the company to attack the competitors by playing the economy card. However, it really is hard to fault the company for trying to use the state of the economy as a selling point. With the US in a recession everyone's pockets are being hit hard.

I suppose the heads of the company could learn to use a bit of tact instead of slamming the competitor's weaknesses, because it does reek of insecurity and desperation whether it is true or not.


More PlayStation 3 News...

[Veritech]

Sorry about the short post an all but I find this quite funny.

They say that the PS3 is over priced but yet if Sony droped there price to the Arcade unit's base price, and advertised the Bluray player to the general viewing public as a Bluray player/WebTV/Video Game Console/Movie Downloader, it would be a done deal. Sony would break even with its price cuts within two years through gaining a new user base for there console and deteriorate all the sales the 360 would of gained from being the cheaper console.

These guys just don't give up. They should be thanking Sony for not cutting there prices and being able to pick up the budget shoppers that buy gifts for Christmas that are trying to save a few bucks because there 401k's are in jepordy. This in my eyes is just a stunt at trying to pull the wool over the general publics eyes, and seems like a cheap desperation shot to cover certain high employees asses.

[CyanCaze]

Microsoft needs to learn to STFU! God is this CEO or what ever stupid?

1: I Hate apple and all their products. The only thing I can see my self getting is a Iphone or Ipod touch. However Microsoft is a horrible Hardware manufacturer. They can barely do software right anymore, but they aren't even close to Apple or Sony in terms Hardware. So I ask, if they can do that why don't they? Oh yeah! Because it would break every 5 seconds!

Microsoft needs to just exit stage left and accept defeat. Honestly work on your software please! Ever since you tried hardware the software even went down hill.

2: If you think the PS3 can be made for under $400 you're mistaken. The technology just isn't there yet, that's why PS3's can make super computers!

Also Bill Gates is a loser now. I use to respect the man because he made his fortune rather then obtain it from other means. However he has been absorbed in his philanthropy, to the point that he is near a mad man.

Don't believe me? Search "Bill Gates releases Mosquitoes at TED2009".

What does Bill Gates have to do with this? Well I rather not buy a product that I have to stay on support for 20 hours, while he is brushing his teeth with a new gold tooth brush from the money I spent.

[otarumx]

Oh but the thing is that people don't understand Microsoft's clever plan, they say that Ps3 should be sold at as low a price as an Xbox 360 arcade everytime to pressure Sony to lower the price and make them lose more money on each console that way they don't have to worry anymore about the quality of their console the RRoD error E74 or the making their internal studios develop games because Sony would be out of business.

[GZA1984]

Since their first xbox launch, MS has always been doing stuff like this. It's one of the reasons I dislike MS.

[CyanCaze]

I forgot to add on to my post:

What does Bill Gates have to do with this? Well I rather not buy a product that I have to stay on support for 20 hours, while he is brushing his teeth with a new gold tooth brush from the money I spent, While he's complaining I'm not giving enough money to the poor.

Spell checker removed it.

[saviour07]

Originally Posted by otarumx Oh but the thing is that people don't understand Microsoft's clever plan, they say that Ps3 should be sold at as low a price as an Xbox 360 arcade everytime to pressure Sony to lower the price and make them lose more money on each console that way they don't have to worry anymore about the quality of their console the RRoD error E74 or the making their internal studios develop games because Sony would be out of business.

How is it a clever plan when Sony havent budged any time a price cut is mentioned?

Sony are being clever IMO because they are already losing money on every console sold and theyre not giving in to the masses by cutting the price even lower than necessary so they can keep their losses to a minimum. MS spin this BS in an attempt to create pressure, but i think that sony have done well to keep a cool head on their shoulders during all this

Take whatever an MS spokesman has to say bout sony with a pinch of salt...