Opinion: Having Microsoft Office available on Mac OS gives Apple needed credibility with customers. But it also gives Microsoft the ability to suddenly pull the plug if it ever so decides.
Can the Macintosh survive without Microsoft Office? It's a question that has followed Steve Jobs since his return to Cupertino in 1996. At the time, Apple was in deep financial trouble, and a bailout from Microsoft—of all people—got the company back on its feet.
The concern isn't that the typical Macintosh "consumer" customer requires MS Office for digital photography or their iPod.
|