Future of CAD and PLM: Part 2
In Future of CAD and PLM : Part 1, I mainly discussed the enterprise software workflow and trends around which the reshuffling of the industry will happen, and I said that Autodesk is by far the best positioned to reap the benefits of this shuffle.
In this piece, I want to discuss Hardware and OS.
I have long, long been of the opinion, that Apple should take a crack at the enterprise market, and in doing so, it should penetrate through the CAD / PDM niche. Apple’s extremely loyal user base of creative professionals can find a great encore in the industrial designers, mechanical designers, and architects.
So far, however, Apple did not look strong enough to go after the broad enterprise market. In fact, DNA-wise, I still don’t think they would. However, Graphics and Design related applications are very much in their sweetspot, and CAD is a large enough niche, that an Autodesk-Apple partnership would be just splendid for both players!
And today, boy, does Apple look strong!
This segment is a part in the series : Future of CAD and PLM
. Part 1 . Part 2
Autodesk’s DNA is retail CAD. They look to get an instant pop from any new product they develop. Consider Impression and AutoCAD P&ID, their two newest products, which were both released to existing and eager markets. I don’t think an Autodesk expansion into the Mac environment is likely, simply because it would take too long to generate the numbers they like.