OS X has more marketshare than vista?

[Freyqq]

http://www.w3counter.com/globalstats.php

is this true?

[bousozoku]

It's only true through certain sites, though at this point, it wouldn't be so surprising.

Any company collecting web statistics are at the mercy of who is using their software to collect statistics. If a certain website is for Windows XP users, would you expect a lot of Windows Vista users to visit? For that matter, if a website is geared toward Vista or Mac OS X only, would you expect a lot of others to visit?

No statistics collection system can report the truth because the truth is in the eye of the beholder.

[clevin]

different site give you different data
w3schools is a pretty geeky place, for example, it registered firefox 34.5% for July, and 1.5% for safari

another data, from net applications, which gives safari about 4.68% in aug, also gives vista 6.26%, OSX 6.15%

as of now, I would consider OSX has very similar market share as VISTA, no matter what the # is. But we all know Vista is growing faster and has much more space to grow than OSX.

[flyfish29]

Yeah, but that is still a bummer- OSX has been out for X number of years (someone fill in the blank) and Vista has been out for how long? Six months maybe? So comparing Vista to OSX on the installed base makes absolutely no sense. comparisons usually use similar time frames to mean anything.:confused:

[scienide09]

OS X 10.0 hit the main market in 2001.

Vista went public in late January of this year.

[MK2007]

What difference does it make that OS X has more market share than Vista?

The fact is that for several years now Apple still has only a 2% market share of the personal computer market.

[gnasher729]

What difference does it make that OS X has more market share than Vista?

The fact is that for several years now Apple still has only a 2% market share of the personal computer market.

I doubt it.

And so does the stock market, which momentarily values Apple at $120bn, compared to Dell at $63bn, or Gateway at $0.7bn. :D

[Grimace]

What difference does it make that OS X has more market share than Vista?

The fact is that for several years now Apple still has only a 2% market share of the personal computer market.

Of the truly "personal" computer market, it's actually closer to 15% (excludes business world.) US Education (including research) marketshare: ~38%. Of total US computers, it's almost 6%. World figures are approaching 4%.

[JFreak]

Stats are always skewed. This one, for example, shows that:

- OSX popularity is 3.73%
- "Mac PowerPC" popularity is 0.04%
- 1152*854 popularity is 3.85%

That last one is an old Mac resolution very rarely used anywhere else. Are those OS7/8/9 users or what? Some G4 PowerBooks could however run OSX (less than 667MHz PowerBooks had that resolution), but I doubt not more than half which would be optimistic.

If only Wikipedia released its statistics... that could be somewhat reliable...

Just for the sake of it, here's a quick comparison between the OP's stats and one taken from thecounter.com

W3Counter: Web Browsers
1 Internet Explorer 6.0 47.01%
2 Internet Explorer 7.0 19.19%
3 Firefox 2.0 17.51%
4 Firefox 1.5 6.84%
5 Safari 2.0 1.76%
6 Firefox 1.0 1.08%
7 Opera 9.2 0.64%
8 Mozilla 1.8 0.61%
9 Opera 9.0 0.58%
10 AOL 6.0 0.53%

theCounter: Web Browsers
1. MSIE 6.x 33163701 (51%)
2. MSIE 7.x 12800545 (20%)
3. FireFox 8398844 (13%)
4. Netscape comp. 6598103 (10%)
5. Safari 1964063 (3%)
6. Unknown 767166 (1%)
7. Opera x.x 413243 (1%)
8. MSIE 5.x 409594 (1%)
9. Netscape 7.x 163522 (0%)
10. Netscape 5.x 117742 (0%)
11. MSIE 4.x 46846 (0%)
12. Netscape 4.x 42624 (0%)
13. Konqueror 18313 (0%)
14. Netscape 6.x 1451 (0%)
15. MSIE 3.x 431 (0%)
16. Netscape 3.x 370 (0%)
17. Netscape 2.x 149 (0%)
18. Netscape 1.x 2 (0%)


The first two places are rather identical, but Firefox popularity varies from 13% to 25% (all versions combined), and notably Netscape is totally missing from the OP's stats but shows +10% on another stat.

Do not ever believe in stats.

[MK2007]

I doubt it.

And so does the stock market, which momentarily values Apple at $120bn, compared to Dell at $63bn, or Gateway at $0.7bn. :DYour doubt doesn't make any difference.

Don't confuse the market cap of one company with the revenue and profit of thousands of other companies.

Just as Apple machines are selling, so are PCs, which are selling extremely well due to their record low prices. Notebook computers sell for as little as $400 now.

You can view some of the recent figures of Apple Computer's paltry market share in the book The Apple Way http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0072262338/ref=sib_dp_pt/102-4332047-7015321#reader-link

For the past 15 years Apple's market share has been declining steadily. In recent years it has remained near the 2% level.

Apple's market share declined to the lowest ever in 2004 coming in at 1.98%. Since then lower cost PCs have kept Apple's market share around 2% (rounded) despite the record sales of Macs. You can find the low market share stats for 2005 and 2006 elsewhere in many places on the World Wide Web.

[sushi]

Just for the sake of it, here's a quick comparison between the OP's stats and one taken from thecounter.com

<snip>

The first two places are rather identical, but Firefox popularity varies from 13% to 25% (all versions combined), and notably Netscape is totally missing from the OP's stats but shows +10% on another stat.

Do not ever believe in stats.
Agree. Stats can say whatever the creator wants you to believe.

Regarding numbers, how about those who set the Safari client agent to MSIE 6.0?

The site records as IE when we are using Safari.

[clevin]

Regarding numbers, how about those who set the Safari client agent to MSIE 6.0?

The site records as IE when we are using Safari.
if there is ever a victim of UA spoofing, its opera. I think most data collectors have better way than UA to ID the browsers.

[Umbongo]

Of the truly "personal" computer market, it's actually closer to 15% (excludes business world.) US Education (including research) marketshare: ~38%. Of total US computers, it's almost 6%. World figures are approaching 4%.

Could you provide some sources? I've not see the education figure before.

[CalBoy]

For the past 15 years Apple's market share has been declining steadily. In recent years it has remained near the 2% level.

Apple's market share declined to the lowest ever in 2004 coming in at 1.98%. Since then lower cost PCs have kept Apple's market share around 2% (rounded) despite the record sales of Macs. You can find the low market share stats for 2005 and 2006 elsewhere in many places on the World Wide Web.

I don't know where you got the idea that Apple's market share is near 2%. Here are some figures that were reported on this site. And believe me, I trust Arn (http://www.macrumors.com/2007/08/22/apple-gaining-marketshare-mindshare/) a lot more than I trust some websites out there.

[elppa]

different site give you different data
w3schools is a pretty geeky place, for example, it registered firefox 34.5% for July, and 1.5% for safari

another data, from net applications, which gives safari about 4.68% in aug, also gives vista 6.26%, OSX 6.15%

as of now, I would consider OSX has very similar market share as VISTA, no matter what the # is. But we all know Vista is growing faster and has much more space to grow than OSX.

Depends what you count as OS X?

Apple TV?
iPhone?
iPod?

[elppa]

Market Share smarket share.

There's no point having loads of market share if you can't make any money for it.

Many PC makers are living a hand to mouth existence due to shrinking component costs, rising license costs of Windows and fierce competition with nothing to differentiate their machines on other than price.

[gnasher729]

Your doubt doesn't make any difference.

Don't confuse the market cap of one company with the revenue and profit of thousands of other companies.

Now lets think about this for a moment.

If, as you claim, Apple has a market share of 2 percent, then it is absolutely impossible that thousands of other companies have market shares that are anywhere comparable.

And thanks for your argument. What is usually quoted is "unit sales" = how many computers were sold. That is where Apple's numbers look weakest, and here Apple is about the same as Gateway. Next comes revenue, where Apple leaves Gateway in the dust. One $4000 MacPro eight core monster is as much revenue as ten el cheapo PC piles of crap. Next comes profit, and here Apple beats Gateway about by a factor of 100.

To see how stupid the "two percent" argument is: Apple could have bought Gateway for around last quarters profits.

[MK2007]

I don't know where you got the idea that Apple's market share is near 2%. Here are some figures that were reported on this site. And believe me, I trust Arn (http://www.macrumors.com/2007/08/22/apple-gaining-marketshare-mindshare/) a lot more than I trust some websites out there.
You are confusing computer market share with percentage gain.

A 5% gain in laptop share (as stated in the article) doesn't mean that Apple gained 5% computer market share. It simply means they increased the percentage of units shipped by 5% compared to a year ago--as plainly stated in that article.

A 5% gain in units sold is respectable. But a 5% gain for a 2% worldwide computer market share is still 2% market share and completely negligible as a change in share gain.

While you're thinking about that consider that PC shipments increased by 13.1% in the first quarter of 2006 alone -- an increase of 57 million units! http://www.gartner.com/press_releases/asset_149698_11.html

I don't know why you don't understand Apple's market share of all computers sold is only 2%. This is absolutely nothing new. It's been well known for many years. On the other hand, if you just want to scream "Apple is the greatest. They're taking over" then it's easy to understand why you don't know they represent only 2% of the worldwide computer market.

[CalBoy]

You are confusing computer market share with percentage gain.

A 5% gain in laptop share (as stated in the article) doesn't mean that Apple gained 5% computer market share. It simply means they increased the percentage of units shipped by 5% compared to a year ago--as plainly stated in that article.

A 5% gain in units sold is respectable. But a 5% gain for a 2% worldwide computer market share is still 2% market share and completely negligible as a change in share gain.

While you're thinking about that consider that PC shipments increased by 13.1% in the first quarter of 2006 alone -- an increase of 57 million units! http://www.gartner.com/press_releases/asset_149698_11.html

I don't know why you don't understand Apple's market share of all computers sold is only 2%. This is absolutely nothing new. It's been well known for many years. On the other hand, if you just want to scream "Apple is the greatest. They're taking over" then it's easy to understand why you don't know they represent only 2% of the worldwide computer market.

Did you click on the link I provided? It clearly stated that Apple's market share was at 5.9%, and that it was an increase of 1.1% over the same quarter last year.

By the way, I never said Apple was the greatest or that it was taking over. I just wanted to know who was providing you with your "facts."

[Dybbuk]

It doesn't matter.

Apple gaining too much marketshare is bad for everyone but Apple. The lower their share, the more they have to fight for more, the more everyone benefits.

[CalBoy]

It doesn't matter.

Apple gaining too much marketshare is bad for everyone but Apple. The lower their share, the more they have to fight for more, the more everyone benefits.

Not entirely true. Users benefit too. A higher market share means that more software developers will make software for OS X, and not just ignore it. Of course, this also opens us up for more viruses, but I'm sure we're all savvy enough to avoid them aren't we?;)

[Dybbuk]

Not entirely true. Users benefit too. A higher market share means that more software developers will make software for OS X, and not just ignore it. Of course, this also opens us up for more viruses, but I'm sure we're all savvy enough to avoid them aren't we?;)

Yes, this is true. I am fine with what is available so I didn't consider it. :)

[MK2007]

It's fair to say that Steve Jobs is guiding the company with little regard for real preferences by Apple's customers. However, low single-digit market share is indeed good for us Mac users. We don't have to deal with viruses and spyware. Hopefully, OS X stays that way. I don't mind paying more for a computer whose operating system is free from these nuisances.

[mrkramer]

By the way, I never said Apple was the greatest or that it was taking over. I just wanted to know who was providing you with your "facts."

I'm guessing that he is being provided his "facts" by some site that has not been updated since the mid 1990s.

[CalBoy]

I'm guessing that he is being provided his "facts" by some site that has not been updated since the mid 1990s.

I think I found it (http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2005931,00.html):p

[Dybbuk]

That article is terrifying, and reflects the mentality that people want to be consumed by their computers. My computer is not my life; it is a part of it.

PS: I like my Mac because it's fashionable and have no problem admitting it!

[CalBoy]

That article is terrifying, and reflects the mentality that people want to be consumed by their computers. My computer is not my life; it is a part of it.

PS: I like my Mac because it's fashionable and have no problem admitting it!

Me too. My computer does make me who I am. I use it as a tool and as a source of entertainment. I think that guy is "in the closet" when it comes to Macs. If someone forced him to sit down and use one, I'm sure he'd be amazed at how much better it is.

[Bigheadache]

It's fair to say that Steve Jobs is guiding the company with little regard for real preferences by Apple's customers. However, low single-digit market share is indeed good for us Mac users. We don't have to deal with viruses and spyware. Hopefully, OS X stays that way. I don't mind paying more for a computer whose operating system is free from these nuisances.

That's pretty misguided if you believe that. Linux has a double digit marketshare in total (including servers, et al) but doesn't have the number of security problems that Windows has. Good security is a function of good design and good practices by users, more than the idea of "staying under the radar".

And as someone mentioned, market share needs to continue to increase to make the investment for software vendors worthwhile. its only because marketshare in the US markets has continued to grow that companies like EA are even contemplating Mac Software development.