Analyzing The Companies Microsoft And Apple Using The Swot...

In this essay I will be analyzing the companies Microsoft and Apple using the PESTEL analysis. PESTEL stands for: Political, Environmental, Social, Technological, Economic, and Legal. Microsoft and Apple are the two leading brands of the personal computer market. Although they both are highly in demand for essentially the same products, both companies have strategized their business in such a way to advertise their items uniquely. Microsoft was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Since the start of the company, Microsoft has had it’s fair share of not only successes but problems as well. The United States Government claimed Microsoft violated the Sherman Antitrust Act by providing each new Microsoft customer with a free copy of†¦show more content†¦Social: After Gates took on a less significant role in the company, Microsoft began campaigning more heavily in television advertisements, print ads, and billboards to reach a younger audience. By partnering with Google, the company has created a new image for itself. Rather than just being a product for professionals, they have linked their products with the Android system just as Apple has with the iPhone. (Strickland and Crawford 2014) Technological: Microsoft is the leading alternative to Apple products which many find quite expensive. Many consumers are attracted to Android’s customizable options over the iPhone’s set features. Economic: Microsoft’s stock has been steadily increasing since the dot-com bubble of 2000 with only a small setback in 2009 when the global economic recession hit and the demand for PCs fell. Legal: Microsoft was sued by Apple in 1994 in a highly-publicized case. Apple claimed that they had licensed certain parts of their user interface during the inception of Microsoft 1.0, but Microsoft then turned around and illegally copied aspects that already existed in Apple. Microsoft won the case but not after a lengthy legal battle. (Morgenstern 20 12) Only one year after Microsoft, Apple was founded in 1976 in the garage of Steve Job’s parents in Los Altos, California. Political: Recently their have been many scandals about hackers using Apple technology to access classified information. The situation has grown so dire that Apple Chief