Abstract
Success in the computer desktop market is all about reading and responding to consumer demand. Although desktop competitors look at common clues for consumer preferences, they respond based on unique technology and new business models. Traditional, thick-client desktops from Microsoft, Apple, and Linux will feel competitive pressure from the thin-client, on-demand model offered by new competitors like Google.
The rise of the on-demand desktop will forever change the concept of the desktopmarket. Centralized services can instantly add new features, integrate across applications stored on the server, and enable collaboration among connected users. Thick-client competitors such as Microsoft, Apple, and Linux will have to ratchet-up their feature integration efforts just to stay in the desktop game.
Consumer Demand Drives Innovation and Integration in Desktop Computing (PDF)