Ballmer on Apple's iPhone announcement
At Mix '08, Ballmer was asked to reprise his famed 'Monkey Boy' dance, this time touting Web developers. He complied.
(Credit: Ina Fried/News.com )LAS VEGAS--If the jabs from venture capitalist Guy Kawasaki weren't enough, Steve Ballmer took a bunch of no-holds-barred queries from the audience at Mix '08.
He was asked whether, given Apple's iPhone announcement, Microsoft was trying to get Silverlight on the Apple phone.
"Silverlight for the iPhone is, of course, interesting," he said. "I can't say there's been extensive discussion with Guy's old boss."
He also said it was unclear whether Apple's business model, which takes 30 percent of iPhone application revenue, would allow for royalty-free distribution of Silverlight. (Apple has said it will allow free applications.) He also noted that Apple might be taking too large a slice, grabbing "30 percent of every bit of revenue."
"It's a good business, if you can make it," Ballmer said.
Later on, he was asked about Apple's license of the ActiveSync protocol that connects mobile devices to Microsoft's Exchange Server.
Ballmer brings back the Monkey Boy dance.
(Credit: Ina Fried/News.com )"We've licensed ActiveSync for a while. That's been an option that's been available to Apple," Ballmer said. The company has already licensed the technology to other rivals, including Palm and Nokia. "It was certainly an option we knew Apple might take advantage of."
Ballmer was also asked to reprise his Monkey Boy dance, this time touting Web developers. He complied. (Watch the video here.)
The session concluded with Kawasaki saying he knew Ballmer really wanted a MacBook Air. "If you ever want a discount, I have friends," he said.
During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft. E-mail Ina.
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This was just Ballmer taking another typical cheap shot at Apple.
And anyway, 30% for providing advertising, a distribution channel, a revenue collecting system and an update channel strikes me as remarkably reasonable... Not only that, there is the assurance to purchasers that apps downloaded this way are unlikely to be malware. Where's the equivalent for other cell phone apps?
Surely MSFT can afford the $99 fee to get Silverlight an iPhone cert, yes? (well, at least they can afford it now, before they buy Yahoo...)
/P
This somewhat blows away your $99 comments. However, even at $299, the comments do apply.
If MS made Silverlight free on the iPhone, would Apple allow it? THAT is the real question.
grabbing "30 percent of every bit of revenue."
Grammar Nazi says TOO large a slice. Not "to large a slice".
Microsoft is about 3-5 years behind the curve lately and not catching up. Who in their right mind would lock themselves into their technology forever?