The purpose of this essay is to compare the website’s design of two enduring companies, which are Apple and Microsoft. Both sites are similar in terms of their contents and structures due to the fact that they are aiming at similar market. However, the sites are different because Microsoft primarily generates profits from the mode of business to business (B2B), and Apple is primarily a business to customer (B2C), most of its profits were generated from selling hardware. This essay is going to explore the differences on the website’s design that each company applies to target its users.
Homepage The homepage is one of the most important pages among the whole website because it is the major page, and in many cases the only chance that the …show more content…
However, their advertisements are smaller than Apple’s, and only 2 advertisements are shown at a time. Besides, the content below the main advertisements are more interesting, they classify the products into two parts, one for home, and one for work (see figure.2). This is convenient for the customers distinguish the different products based on their needs.
Figure 2: Homepage of the Microsoft
In comparison, the homepage of Apple contains very few texts, and the page is simplistic with plenty of free white space. The text is centrally placed on the page and easy to understand and read. On the contrary, the homepage of Microsoft contains more content than Apple, and the page seems has fewer graphics to deliver information. Both home pages adhere to what a homepage should look like to attract people who want to buy products from them, however Microsoft’s homepage looks more colorful and pragmatic than Apple’s.
Navigation
Apple’s website has a large navigation bar at the top, and the available options show the main sections, such as support. The bar also integrates search and branding functions as the home button displays the Apple logo instead of a label (see …show more content…
There are lots of options under Microsoft’s navigation bar, which makes processing the options become much more difficult.
Readability
Because most of the content on the sites is text, it’s vital to ensure that everything is readable and legible. Here is a table to compare the readability of these two website’s content (see table.1):
Apple Microsoft
Use of colors • Combination of white and black • Combination of light colors, especially blue
Font size and style • Larger and bolder • Smaller and regular
Contrast between text and background • Strong visual contrast • Less visual contrast
Headings or highlighted text • Headings are set in heavier type and stand out • Headings are set in slighter type and unobvious
Images and icons • Many images to make each text blurb more interesting • Too much variety images and icons
Use of white space • Good use of white space ensure things are still usable • Needs more white space around the content to separate the text
Word Choice • Simple and easy to understand • Straightforward and focused
Table 1: Comparison of the
Homepage The homepage is one of the most important pages among the whole website because it is the major page, and in many cases the only chance that the …show more content…
However, their advertisements are smaller than Apple’s, and only 2 advertisements are shown at a time. Besides, the content below the main advertisements are more interesting, they classify the products into two parts, one for home, and one for work (see figure.2). This is convenient for the customers distinguish the different products based on their needs.
Figure 2: Homepage of the Microsoft
In comparison, the homepage of Apple contains very few texts, and the page is simplistic with plenty of free white space. The text is centrally placed on the page and easy to understand and read. On the contrary, the homepage of Microsoft contains more content than Apple, and the page seems has fewer graphics to deliver information. Both home pages adhere to what a homepage should look like to attract people who want to buy products from them, however Microsoft’s homepage looks more colorful and pragmatic than Apple’s.
Navigation
Apple’s website has a large navigation bar at the top, and the available options show the main sections, such as support. The bar also integrates search and branding functions as the home button displays the Apple logo instead of a label (see …show more content…
There are lots of options under Microsoft’s navigation bar, which makes processing the options become much more difficult.
Readability
Because most of the content on the sites is text, it’s vital to ensure that everything is readable and legible. Here is a table to compare the readability of these two website’s content (see table.1):
Apple Microsoft
Use of colors • Combination of white and black • Combination of light colors, especially blue
Font size and style • Larger and bolder • Smaller and regular
Contrast between text and background • Strong visual contrast • Less visual contrast
Headings or highlighted text • Headings are set in heavier type and stand out • Headings are set in slighter type and unobvious
Images and icons • Many images to make each text blurb more interesting • Too much variety images and icons
Use of white space • Good use of white space ensure things are still usable • Needs more white space around the content to separate the text
Word Choice • Simple and easy to understand • Straightforward and focused
Table 1: Comparison of the