JB Hi Fi appear to be the beneficiaries of a multi-million dollar spend by Microsoft and Intel as a new clash of tech titans takes shape, with Apple and there iOS, now being seriously challenged by an all-new Windows 11 which will also lure developers from Apple’s iOS to Windows 11.
Both JB Hi Fi and Harvey Norman are now running extensive marketing programs for Windows based PC’s, Surface tablets and Office 365 in a move that could hurt sales of Apple PC products at the big retailers.
Apple is well known for offering poor margins to retailers in Australia while competing head on to take sales away from the likes of Harvey Norman and JB Hi Fi.
The launch of Windows 11 has reignited a feud that dates back to the formative days of the personal computer era and the battle between Bill Gates from Microsoft and Apple Steve Jobs.
A visit to the JB Hi computer site reveals flashy messaging for Microsoft and Intel and a simple banner spruiking free Apple Music.
The big new feature on the JB Hi Fi and Harvey Norman site is the appearance of a My Expert Live service where a Microsoft employee spruiks help buying a Windows PC.It is very similar to the Microsoft Clippy education platform which consumers either hated or loved.
Born in Office 97, Clippy offered hints for using Microsoft’s Office software.
Often misunderstood, you either loved or hated Clippy with its soulful eyes and “Groucho eyebrows” (as Microsoft described them) when it popped up on screen to please or annoy you.
Now a new more subtle version called My Expert Live is back and residing on retailer’s web sites.
In May according to SemRush Research JB Hi Fi attracted over 20 million visits a month to their web site Vs 12.6M for Harvey Norman.
The big spend by Intel and Microsoft is tipped to hurt Apple as several brands are set to push new PCs off the back of the marketing push.
The launch of Windows 11 has reignited a feud that dates back to the formative days of the personal computer era and the battle between Bill Gates from Microsoft and Apple Steve Jobs.
The companies’ co-founders, Apple’s Steve Jobs and Bill Gates at Microsoft, battled early in their bid to dominate the emerging PC industry, before largely burying the hatchet.
In recent months, both companies have taken up arms again in a skirmish that is upsetting other tech companies and their customers.
Apple who are well known for stealing patents and basically ripping of f consumers with scams such as Batterygate which saw the business fined hundreds of millions.
The business that is currently rolling out new PC hardware is also in a major fight with Epic Games.
Apple accused Microsoft of being the puppet master behind the game maker’s case. Epic Games has accused the iPhone maker of anticompetitive practices, while Microsoft has blamed Apple for restricting its ability to reach users with its own videogame service.
At the launch of Windows 11, Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella took what was widely seen as a swipe at Apple and the controls it wields over its iPhone App Store, but without mentioning the rival directly.
Both companies are positioning themselves for an impending battle over the augmented and virtual reality market that is seen as the next major frontier in computing.
