Steve Ballmer laughs off at the iPhone

He laughs at it saying it is the most expensive phone that no one can afford. OK laughing at it is a little exaggeration, but he does look like little over confident.

Yeah, laugh at the competitor at your own expense. What iPhone is offering is not just new cell phone but easier way to operate the advanced features of cell phone. Pricing is always flexible, there will be discounts etc later on.

What is with US corporate culture? whole idea is if you respect your competitor you are considered as lacking self confidence or inferior? In my previous company, in our engineering meetings, engineering presentations used to start with “Kicked their a##’ referring to competitor(s), it was not just one presenter, but presenter after presenter same thing. I can agree that if it was some kind of sales meeting, it makes sense, but engineering meeting? Come next quarter, that competitor did kick our a##, well not exactly in the same sense, but they did have a better results and market rewarded them and we were pushed down.