Microsoft v. Apple: A downtown Portland smashup

The new Microsoft and Apple retail stores will soon face off in downtown Portland.

A clash of titans is shaping up in downtown Portland as Apple Inc. and Microsoft Corp. prepare to open retail outlets just a feet away from one another in Pioneer Place.

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), the mall?s top performer on a sales-per-square-foot basis, is expanding its footprint by taking over space in the former Saks Fifth Avenue store.

Whether Microsoft (NASDAQ: MFST) can attract similarly enthusiastic crowds to its new store, which will be located in the former Romano?s Macaroni Grill spot, 300 S.W. Yamhill St., remains to be seen. What we do know is that Microsoft, a newcomer to the retail scene, is at a critical junction in its history, and grabbing some of Apple's mobile market share is a piece of its forward strategy (see more on that below).

Neither Apple nor Microsoft has publicly confirmed its plans. Apple?s intent was clear from plans submitted to the city of Portland. Microsoft was identified as a tenant on a plumbing permit filed with the city of Portland this week.

Here?s a deeper look at each company:

Apple Inc.

Apple Inc. has been riding high on the rapid release of new versions of its iPads and iPhones. Each new release was followed by a boost in sales. While Microsoft's Surface tablet and those running on Google's Android System grabbed some market share, Apple still dominates, with a 70 percent share. However, the past year was not without its lumps. The company's stock had a bumpy ride mid-year and recently dropped below $500 for the first time since February 2012 on news that it had cut its orders with suppliers in half. Investors saw that as a sign that Apple was slowing production and that iPhone 5 sales in China were not going to be as robust as the company had expected.

Wendy Culverwell covers real estate, retail and hospitality.

Source: http://feeds.bizjournals.com/~r/bizj_portland/~3/lExnzgX8oQg/microsoft-v-apple-a-downtown.html

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