Comments on: Microsoft ignoring Indian market at its own peril

By: pranav

pranav — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:56:52 +0000

@rizwan, microsoft’s problems began because it was underestimating google earlier..and was complacent with its msn portal. if they dont act now, it might just become too late for them to compete effectively with google.

@rama — well said..in fact, they’ve doing the same for a long time now. xbox — sony psp, sharepoint, sql server and so many other technologies. they have been able to do so effectively against other companies, but the rate at which google innovates just makes m’soft’s job that much more difficult

By: shitu

shitu — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:33:15 +0000

What i think is that Google is comparatively new to India than microsoft.

Microsoft Windows is known to every other user , even if they know very little about Internet or computer.

And since Google is new and their every service is free so user are attracted more easily to it!(especially indian users )!

Google regularly updates its services but Microsoft name is attached only with Window and Office which you get with your new PC.
So their is no further connection to any Microsoft product other than windows updates!!

By: Sankara Rameswaran

Sankara Rameswaran — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:41:03 +0000

Google has done the right thing by localizing search (and other products). Not sure if anyone else has done that or is willing to do that. As to MS ignoring markets where there is no cash, there is a good deal of money to be made. I’m sure Google is most likely to have plenty of followers in India and they should be making a lot in Ads too.

By: Rama Vadakattu

Rama Vadakattu — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:42:28 +0000

Brilliant observation pranav.

After the reading the article i just reminded of the following.

Google —— (tuned in to their users )
Focuses on the user, understanding their needs , trying to solve their problems,making their life better. innovations are comming from google as their complete focus is on the users and very less on their competitors.

on the other hand
MIcrosoft———–(tuned in to their competitors,less tuned to their users)

As they focus much on their competitors instead of users average products will be result.
Iam not saying microsoft is not inovating.iam a big fan of live mesh (a brilliant app which i use daily).
With such a great engineers they can bring in much more innovations when they focus much on their users and their vision instead of their competitors.

By: Rizwan

Rizwan — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:37:12 +0000

You got a good comparison chart up there, but all I can say is that different companies have different models that suit their needs best.

Marketing and getting that kind of leverage in India also means big money.

Although Google has been successful in enticing the Indian Market, Microsoft hasn’t had to do that because Microsoft is already a brand name and probably for them the Indian market is not of immediate concern.

They have their own problems and I think sooner or later we will have the (not so) big boy come to our shores with our share of technology

By: pranav

pranav — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:26:57 +0000

thats pretty true vivek..but when they’re head to head against a formidable innovator like google, it might be very difficult to play catchup — which is exactly what they’re doing in the US market.

By: vivek

vivek — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:09:31 +0000

Microsoft just has a different business model. They are not willing to get into something unless the money is there. And they think that they can catch up when they want to or buyout someone else – ofcourse may not always work – sometimes its a good idea, other times its not.

Examples:
- They caught up with Sony’s PS with Xbox which was created later.
- They tried to catch up with Apple with the Zune – ofcourse it did not work out but that’s just how msft operates.

They will wait for others to open up the market first.