Winners:


Tablets



No one can ignore the numbers; NPD predicted that mobile users will overtake traditional PC users by 2016 while IDC reports that 220 million tablets were moved in 2013. That’s a staggering figure and one Microsoft would have dreamt of having a fair share. Unfortunately, that has never been the case, because the company has simply not found a way to get around with tablets without the keyboard.

With several failed attempts for close to a decade, Microsoft remains deluded with its stance on productivity while Apple and Samsung get closer to consumers with the philosophy of a tablet being an entertainment gadget.

One of the most notable quotes of 2013 is credited to Apple’s CEO Tim Cook in response to Microsoft criticism of Apple’s iWork.

“Our competition is different. They’re confused. They chased after netbooks, now they’re trying to make PCs into tablets and tablets into PCs. Who knows that they’ll do next? I can’t answer that question, but I can tell you that we’re focused.” – Tim Cook.

Gamers




There is no loss of joy after witnessing the 8th gaming generation in 2013, it was worth all the hype and anticipation. Microsoft and Sony completely delivered with the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4.

Both companies said it sold more than one million consoles in 24 hours, while the PlayStation 4 became the fastest selling console in the United Kingdom, dethroning the PlayStation Vita.

Apple



When the original iPhone debuted in 2007, it marked the beginning of a revolution that completely changed the way we interact with mobile devices. Over the years, Apple and Samsung have engaged in various legal tussles regarding a plethora of patent issues. Despite that, the company continues to fly higher and the release of iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C ensured that Apple relevance in the mobile world remained firm.

A report from Canaccord Genuity analyst T. Michael Walkley, revealed that Apple’s iPhone 5S had dethroned Samsung Galaxy S4 from top spot in sales chart in the United States. iPhone 5C performed well also, largely because of it cheap price and different color variant. Apple also wowed consumers when it made its Mavericks OS for Macs completely free and to crown it all, Apple overthrew Coca Cola as the world’s most valuable brand in 2013.

Nokia



Prior to the acquisition of Nokia by Microsoft, they were a lot of twist and it got to a point where the general idea was that the deal was dead. However, revelation that Nokia was in the final stages of producing a Nokia smartphone powered by Android re-ignited the deal which has already been agreed by both parties.

Microsoft is reported to have paid a hefty $7.2 billion to acquire Nokia’s devices and services division which has a work force of nearly 33,000 employees worldwide, Nokia’s patent portfolio and the right to use Nokia name on Microsoft’s smartphones for several years.

In 2011, Nokia and Microsoft entered its first agreement to make Windows Phone OS its primary OS after a partnership with Intel to create a new mobile OS became a flop. Fast-forward to 2013 and lots of developers have started seeing reasons to bring their apps to the platform, Vine and Instagram have already made an impressive appearance with others to follow.

Also See: 4 Costly Mistakes That Forced Nokia Out Of The Smartphone Race

One of the most jaw-breaking moments of smartphones in 2013 was the announcement of Nokia Lumia 1020 with an incredible and unbelievable 41 MP Camera.


marissa mayer



Yahoo! was gradually being submerged in a pool of its own as the company became a shadow of itself. The company which was once an envy of others suddenly found itself in a ditch. The brand was losing recognition faster than anticipated, it had already given the crown of the world’s largest email service to Google’s Gmail and lots of redundant services acquired by Yahoo! didn’t make the company any better.

Could there have been a better C.E.O in the name of Marissa Mayer to reposition Yahoo? I don’t think so. One of her first major decision in Yahoo was the acquisition of Tumblr for a staggering $1.1 billion which many analysts believe was simply overpriced. She has since shut-down twelve of Yahoo’s redundant services as well as acquired a good number of startups, most recently was the purchase of SkyPhrase, a natural language recognition startup.

Marissa Mayer worked as a long-time executive and key spokesperson for Google, she was equally ranked number 8 on the list of America’s most powerful businesswomen of 2013 by Fortune magazine.

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