smugmacgeek
Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer says Apple's $500 iPhone will fail to win business customers because it lacks a physical keyboard for email, leaving cheaper Windows Mobile devices positioned to dominate.
AI-assisted summary of Ballmer Laughs at iPhone — original source. Check the original for full context.
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Key ideas
- Steve Ballmer dismissed Apple's $500 subsidized iPhone as the most expensive phone in the world, arguing its lack of a physical keyboard would alienate business customers. (0:00)
- Ballmer contrasted the iPhone with Windows Mobile devices like the $99 Motorola Q, which already offered music, web, and email capabilities at a fraction of the cost. (0:00)
- Highlighting market volume, Ballmer emphasized that Microsoft partners sold millions of phones annually while Apple was entering the market with zero sales. (1:06)
- In the portable media player sector, Ballmer claimed the Zune had quickly captured a 20% to 25% share of devices priced at $249 and above. (1:06)
Detailed notes
## Background Published on YouTube by channel smugmacgeek on September 18, 2007, the video captures Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer reacting to the initial iPhone announcement. The brief page description mocks the device's premium cost, stating, "$500 for a phone???? LOL".
## TL;DR Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer dismisses Apple's newly announced iPhone, criticizing its $500 subsidized price tag and lack of a physical keyboard as major deterrents for enterprise email users. He highlights affordable Windows Mobile alternatives like the $99 Motorola Q and emphasizes that Microsoft's partners sell millions of phones annually compared to Apple's zero. While conceding Apple's dominance with the iPod, Ballmer defends the Zune's early penetration in the high-end media player market and expresses strong confidence in Microsoft's overarching mobile strategy.
## Atmosphere & style The clip has a candid, dismissive, and self-assured tone, punctuated by Ballmer's characteristic chuckle and relaxed corporate bravado. His casual body language and amused disbelief frame Apple's bold hardware move as an overpriced, impractical novelty rather than a serious threat. Viewed in hindsight, the exchange feels rich with dramatic irony, capturing a legacy tech titan confidently leaning on current sales volume while underestimating an impending paradigm shift.
## Bulletin - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U&t=0s) Steve Ballmer dismissed Apple's $500 subsidized iPhone as the most expensive phone in the world, arguing its lack of a physical keyboard would alienate business customers. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U&t=0s) Ballmer contrasted the iPhone with Windows Mobile devices like the $99 Motorola Q, which already offered music, web, and email capabilities at a fraction of the cost. - [01:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U&t=66s) Highlighting market volume, Ballmer emphasized that Microsoft partners sold millions of phones annually while Apple was entering the market with zero sales. - [01:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U&t=66s) In the portable media player sector, Ballmer claimed the Zune had quickly captured a 20% to 25% share of devices priced at $249 and above.
## Key takeaways - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U&t=0s) Ballmer reacted with dismissive laughter to Steve Jobs's unveiling of the iPhone at Macworld. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U&t=0s) Ballmer criticized the iPhone's $500 fully subsidized price tag, calling it the most expensive phone in the world. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U&t=0s) The lack of a physical hardware keyboard was cited by Ballmer as a major barrier for business and enterprise email users. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U&t=0s) Ballmer expressed strong confidence in Microsoft's Windows Mobile strategy over Apple's new entrant. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U&t=0s) The Motorola Q was highlighted as a viable $99 alternative that included email, web browsing, music playback, and messaging. - [01:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U&t=66s) Microsoft emphasized its massive volume lead, selling millions of phones each year while Apple was selling zero. - [01:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U&t=66s) Ballmer separated the market competition into two distinct categories: mobile phones and dedicated portable media players. - [01:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U&t=66s) Ballmer conceded Apple's dominant market position with the iPod in portable media players. - [01:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U&t=66s) The Microsoft Zune was positioned around unique differentiators such as wireless networking and community features. - [01:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U&t=66s) Ballmer claimed the Zune secured between 20% and 25% of the high-end media player tier ($249 and higher).
## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U&t=0s) Steve Ballmer's Initial Reaction to the iPhone Announcement
When asked about Steve Jobs unveiling the iPhone at Macworld just as Microsoft's Zune was beginning to gain traction, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer chuckles dismissively at Apple's pricing and hardware design. Ballmer recounts his immediate reaction to the device carrying a five-hundred-dollar price tag even after carrier subsidies, declaring it fundamentally unsuited for the enterprise market due to its form factor. As Ballmer stated, “$500 fully subsidized with a plan I said that is the most expensive phone in the world and it doesn't appeal to business customers because it doesn't have a keyboard which makes it not a very good email machine.” While acknowledging that it may or may not sell well, he remains confident in Microsoft's existing ecosystem and product lineup.
Ballmer contrasts Apple's approach with Microsoft's current Windows Mobile strategy, pointing out that consumers already have access to versatile, significantly cheaper alternatives. He highlights hardware options like the Motorola Q, which sells for just $99 while providing a complete suite of capabilities including music playback, web browsing, email, and instant messaging. Because of this broad accessibility and functional feature set, Ballmer reiterates strong satisfaction with Microsoft’s positioning in the mobile sector, remarking, “So I kind of look at that and I say well I like our strategy I like it a lot.”
- **iPhone Price Point:** $500 fully subsidized on a carrier contract. - **Enterprise Criticism:** Lack of a physical hardware keyboard impairs its utility as an email device for business users. - **Windows Mobile Alternative:** The Motorola Q priced at $99, offering email, web, music, and instant messaging.
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[01:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U&t=66s) Competing Across Mobile Phones and Portable Media Players
Addressing how Microsoft intends to compete after Apple captured widespread media attention at Macworld with both the iPhone and updated iPods, Ballmer divides the competitive landscape into phones and portable entertainment devices. On the phone front, Ballmer emphasizes Microsoft's massive head start in volume against Apple's non-existent footprint. As Ballmer puts it: “Right now we're selling millions and millions and millions of phones a year Apple is selling zero phones a year in six months they'll have the most expensive phone by far ever in the marketplace and let's see you know what's the expression let's see how the competition goes.”
Turning to music and entertainment players, Ballmer readily concedes that Apple holds a dominant, preeminent market position with the iPod. However, he explains that Microsoft entered the space due to strategic synergies with its broader portfolio and unique hardware features, specifically around community engagement and wireless networking. Despite entering an incumbent-dominated market, Ballmer notes that the Zune quickly captured an estimated 20% to 25% share of the high-end tier (devices priced at $249 and above). He expresses firm confidence that Microsoft is firmly in the game, aggressively driving innovation, and forcing Apple to actively keep pace.
- **Phone Market Comparison:** Microsoft partners sell millions of Windows Mobile handsets annually, compared to zero phones currently sold by Apple. - **Zune Market Penetration:** Captured roughly 20% to 25% of the premium portable media player market ($249 and higher). - **Zune Differentiators:** Integrated wireless networking capabilities and community sharing features.
## Mentioned Steve Ballmer, Steve Jobs, iPhone, Apple, Macworld, Microsoft, Zune, Windows Mobile, Motorola Q, iPod
## Video description $500 for a phone???? LOL
[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U)