Is Mac really going down? ;)

[iMan]

Don't know if this has already been posted, but Paul Thurrot is at it again:
http://www.internet-nexus.com/2004_02_29_archive.htm#107851244631180095

There's no debate (indeed, Apple executives are still using the bogus 5 percent figure). Apple's market share is 1.88 percent today, and as your own math showed you, it will be 1.7 percent or lower in 2004. Why is this so hard for Mac advocates to understand? The Mac market is ending. Let's hope Apple has broader consumer electronics plans than just the iPod.

It is quite funny - as always from that source :D

[dukemeiser]

Why does anyone actually read his articles? It's just flame bait.

[superbovine]

he neglects to state that apple doesn't have to most of the marketshare to actually make money. they could continue to sell to the 3% of mac users and still make money.

[jxyama]

it's the installed user base that counts, not the marketshare, especially in this "recovering" computer market. apple can sell twice as many Macs as usual but if recovering corporations decide to renew their aging Dells, it could lose marketshare while turning up more profit.

anyway, that guy is heavily biased and gets some weird sense of accomplishment by riling up Mac fans.

move along, nothing to see here...

[SiliconAddict]

it's the installed user base that counts, not the marketshare

Not to developers or hardware manufacturers it isn't. The likely hood of selling more of your wares increases with a 95% market share vs. a 5%. Market share is only irrelevant to Mac users.

[rainman::|:|]

*yawn*

[iMan]

Not to developers or hardware manufacturers it isn't. The likely hood of selling more of your wares increases with a 95% market share vs. a 5%. Market share is only irrelevant to Mac users.

I agree, but then there is no hardware supplier anywhere near that kind of marketshare - only a softwarecompany (for the moment).
The guy is correct however about the Apple marketshare being a good deal less than 5% - but so is Mercedes (as pointed out a few times).
Bottom line; the amount of loyal customers and the profit keeps Apple in the black. As long as they are in the black they'll keep on deliver the goods.

Still - it is hard to get annoyed by this guy. For the most part he is just hilarious. Wonder if anyone - even on the Windows side - is taking him seriously about the show he puts up... :)

[Dont Hurt Me]

He makes some points, Mac market has gotten smaller and smaller and smaller. sure Mac has a installed base but what good is that if 98% of all new computers in the world are being sold by someone else? eventually why would people want to make anything for Mac? just look at our software selection vs the otherside or look at video cards? example we have the ati 9000 and 9800 the otherside has all kinds of stuff. many makers of 9000,9600,9600xt,9800,9800xt,nvidea 5200fx,5700fx,5900fx,5950, etc etc and also all in wonders etc. we have the bare scraps. I know you all love your mac but with hardware stinking its no wonder they are building pods and probably some new device. The hardware strategy is taking them down the tubes. are they going to wake up when it hits 1% of new sales? I hate the whole hardware strategy of crippling and and holding one line down so it dont compete with other macs or anything else.
Im a 15 yr installed user base and you know what? im thinking of becoming a switcher simply because our selections and hardware sucks. Why should I line Steve's pocket when he never gives me what I want? Apple has only 1 thing and thats the OS. what has my loyality to mac gotten me but less choices that cost twice as much. :mad:

[jxyama]

Not to developers or hardware manufacturers it isn't. The likely hood of selling more of your wares increases with a 95% market share vs. a 5%. Market share is only irrelevant to Mac users.

sure, and it's been said for years and years now that apple is dying because of diminishing marketshare. yet essential programs are being developed for macs. essential hardwares are being made for macs. so what gives?

btw, macs are good testing grounds for newer technologies as well because macs can be more aggressive in incorporating new stuff. (can't be done on PCs, too many corporate users who depend on stable working environment rather than cutting edge stuff.)

USB devices wouldn't have taken off if not for apple. wireless? BT?

once popularized, the market occupied by macs are small, but that doesn't mean those small market didn't/doesn't serve useful purposes to hardware and software vendors...

[Frohickey]

Some so called computer journalists get their kicks from putting up anti-Mac stories, and seeing their email inboxes get flooded. This inflates their sense of self-worth and they would use this to tell their boss that they need to be kept around and working instead of being fired.