"Has Google Peaked?" by Robert X. Cringely

Robert Cringely is back pondering if Google has peaked and segues into stating that “the biggest threat to Microsoft might not be those G-men at all, but Apple.” Yes, Apple, and here’s why:

Here’s where I go out on a limb, but I think Microsoft’s clearest threat still comes from Apple, though not the way most people expect. Yes, Apple is about to take Microsoft to the woodshed when it comes to Internet movie distribution. Yes, Apple already super-dominates the music player market where Microsoft doesn’t even really exist. But the real jewel is one Microsoft has to lose, not gain — the PC platform, itself.

How can Apple pull this off? The Mac platform is transitioning to Intel processors (and therefore current Wintel boxes), Apple continues to sell millions of iPods, each hard disk-based iPod is a bootable device, include the OS X operating system on the bootable iPods, and let the people decide if they like Windows or OS X. Hmmm….

It’s an interesting hypothetical read.