Computerworld – Apple, Google and Microsoft are locked in a three-way struggle for industry dominance, competing to varying degrees on hardware, computer and cell phone operating systems, applications, entertainment, Internet search and more.
Today, Google owns Internet search, Microsoft owns operating systems and applications, and Apple owns high-end hardware and entertainment and media devices. That may well change, though. So it’s worthwhile to ask: As each company looks to encroach on the turf of the others, which one is best positioned for the future — and which is most likely to fall?
Although Apple is riding high now, it’s the most vulnerable of the three. That’s because its success is built on the singular vision and talent of one person — Steve Jobs. [read]