Digital Wars

In this summary, you will learn

• How patent and antitrust laws and lawsuits colored the battle for dominance among Apple, Microsoft and Google
• How these companies discovered ways to make money from search engines and digital music
• How they jockeyed for users’ loyalty

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Why you should read Digital Wars

Charles Arthur, an experienced technology writer and editor at the Guardian, draws on his experience covering the IT industry to report on the highs and lows of Apple, Google and Microsoft as they battled for dominance in consumer computing. By examining their struggles for supremacy in search engines, digital music, smartphones and tablets, Arthur demonstrates that the first company to market is not the one that ultimately reigns; instead, the race goes to the one that can provide an irresistible customer experience and still make a profit. As with all histories capturing events still in progress, each story by necessity ends with a “to be continued” feel that may quickly render the book out of date. However, getAbstract recommends it to students of history, technology and corporate success. And if you are reading this abstract on a tablet or phone, you will soon learn more about the myriad decisions that led to the device in your hand.

About the Author

As technology editor at the Guardian, Charles Arthur has covered all the combatants in Digital Wars. A speaker, writer and blogger, he regularly covers technology topics.