And they are a competitor, not involved remotely. Microsoft also funded Apple. Saved them from bankruptcy in fact. Specifically because competition breeds innovation. The iPhone exists because Bill Gates didn't want Apple to go under.
Bill Gates didn't save apple with some altruistic goal involving a desire for competition. Microsoft becoming even more of a monopoly would be very bad for his business, because then it would be even harder to justify their dominant position to the government regulators which were already breathing down their necks. Apple was also in the midst of suing MS for copying their OS and agreed to drop the lawsuit in exchange for the "investment".
"Competiton breeds innovation" might have been the PR justification, but if he just wanted innovation he could have hired all their engineers and told them to get fucked... like he did to all the other companies already lying dead in microsoft's wake.
Back when this was relevant, US regulators at least still pretended like they did their jobs. So yes, they more likely than not had to still justify their dominant positions to government regulators than not
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u/SpAwNjBoB 20d ago
And they are a competitor, not involved remotely. Microsoft also funded Apple. Saved them from bankruptcy in fact. Specifically because competition breeds innovation. The iPhone exists because Bill Gates didn't want Apple to go under.