Apple Brand on the Rise, Microsoft on the Decline

[Digitalclips]

To suggest that MS are on a 'slide' because they're products are adequate rather than exceptional is wrong because they suit the vast majority of people's needs. MS will lose market share but they will still dominate because of market entrenchment.

Kind of like VHS tapes and plastic records were entrenched ...?

And as to 'adequate is ok' ... sheesh .. have you not realized that is why MS is sliding, sorry Apple is climbing? Apple users 'LOVE' the products because they are 'insanely great'. PC users often see a Mac in use by a friends and say "I have got to get one of those!' Tell me how many Mac users watch a PC user and say 'Wow, I have got to have that, it is so adequate!".

 

[BongoBanger]

I guess a company with near 100% coverage a while back allowing another company to come from nowhere to the position Apple is now in just a few years might be seen as a 'slide'. Remember every single Mac owner could have could have bought a PC.

What position? Macs have had a market share in the US of about 4-5% for a long time. This has now gone up to about 7-8% in a time period where they've generated a halo effect from the iPhone and MS has released a poorly received OS. Apple hasn't 'come from nowhere', it's expanded a small market share to a slightly bigger market share. Globally they're projected to remain about 3% although they may get to about 8-9% in the US and Western Europe.

Which is nice for Apple but, considering the favourable trading conditions, isn't exactly world shattering.

Everytime I look at Apple's market capitalisation and revenue I keep getting the feeling that it's a case of the Emperor's New Clothes. At the moment, even allowing for good growth, I can't see where this comes from.

Maybe I'm wrong but I just can't reconcile the two.

 

[BongoBanger]

Kind of like VHS tapes and plastic records were entrenched ...?

Different analogy. That's like saying "kind of like Windows 95 was entrenched". Things have moved on in line with technology.

And as to 'adequate is ok' ... sheesh .. have you not realized that is why MS is sliding, sorry Apple is climbing?

You're missing the effect market entropy has. Apple's climb has attracted some new users but last year they still only accounted for about 7 million PCs out of worldwide sales of 270 million. Most people generally don't care what OS they use - and probably aren't aware there is more than the one they have preinstalled on their unit - as long as it does what they need it to do.

Apple users 'LOVE' the products because they are 'insanely great'. PC users often see a Mac in use by a friends and say "I have got to get one of those!' Tell me how many Mac users watch a PC user and say 'Wow, I have got to have that, it is so adequate!".

I'd agree that this is the case with some people but most people honestly don't care. It's sad but true.

 

[Digitalclips]

I'd agree that this is the case with some people but most people honestly don't care. It's sad but true.

Well your view point is certainly an interesting one.

Meanwhile, I think I may have hit on a new TV ad for Apple in the course of our conversation

... Mac guy looks over PC guy's shoulder and says ... "Wow, that is so, er ... adequate"
©2008 Digitalclips

 

[BongoBanger]

... Mac guy looks over PC guy's shoulder and says ... "Wow, that is so, er ... adequate'."
©2008 Digitalclips

Heh.

It is though. Everyone knows Leopard is better than Vista and every technical journal and review confirms this. But what are people buying?

That's right, Vista equipped machines. Arrgh!

 

[Digitalclips]

Everytime I look at Apple's market capitalisation and revenue I keep getting the feeling that it's a case of the Emperor's New Clothes. At the moment, even allowing for good growth, I can't see where this comes from.

Maybe I'm wrong but I just can't reconcile the two.

Interesting metaphor. If there was ever a company who pulled of the 'Emperor's New Clothes' trick it is MS. One day people will wake up and say ... "OMG a lousy series of OSs and Office .. in someone else's junky hardware. Is that all MS is?"

 

[sleepingworker]

Very happy every time I read that Apple's popularity or market share is growing - competition between MS, Dell, Apple, etc. is only a good thing. And I really hated reading articles just a few years ago that predicted the demise of Apple.

No company is perfect but I have never thought of leaving Apple and buying a PC. On the other hand, many of my friends who have always used PC's - some for very good reasons - now own MBP's or other Apple computers (and everyone I know owns an iPod - I still have never seen a Zune in person).

 

[Ubuntu]

Kind of like VHS tapes and plastic records were entrenched ...?

And as to 'adequate is ok' ... sheesh .. have you not realized that is why MS is sliding, sorry Apple is climbing? Apple users 'LOVE' the products because they are 'insanely great'. PC users often see a Mac in use by a friends and say "I have got to get one of those!' Tell me how many Mac users watch a PC user and say 'Wow, I have got to have that, it is so adequate!".

That's fairly bias. You seem to love generalising a fair bit, according to that post.

Would you argue that Macs are insanely great in the games department? Or even adequate?

I know more PC users who have been like "Whoah, that mac is awesome!" than the other way around, but still I know quite a few people who have switched back to PCs.

Don't forget there are more PC users, thus more of them to say "Whoah, that mac is awesome!"


I can't tell you how many mac users say "Wow, I have to have that, it's so adequate", but then again, nor can you.

 

[Ubuntu]

Well your view point is certainly an interesting one.

Meanwhile, I think I may have hit on a new TV ad for Apple in the course of our conversation

... Mac guy looks over PC guy's shoulder and says ... "Wow, that is so, er ... adequate"
©2008 Digitalclips

But the mac guy is meant to be the hip, cool guy. It would be out-of-character for the mac guy to look over the PC guy's shoulder and say "Wow, that is so, er... adequate." If someone said that to me, I'd be like "Right... who cares?" which is kinda like what the mac guy should be.

 

[sleepingworker]

Would you argue that Macs are insanely great in the games department? Or even adequate?

Yea, as much as I love MAC's which is why I'm on this site posting (that, and I've been bitten by the geek bug), my very hard core gaming friends all use a PC (when not on a console).

I had one of the founders of Neversoft over to my studio on Sunday and I asked him if they use MACS when producing their games. No, all the games are built on PC's. PC's like MAC's have their place.

I started using computers late in the game - 1999 - and started with a MAC. I most likely won't change ... unless there are some 14 year old kids in their garage producing the next generation that will overrun the old dinosaurs like Microsoft and Apple.

 

[Syrus28]

I agree about Apple but not about MS. It will be interesting to look back in 10 years or so to see what happened. I truly wonder of MS will recover from the slide. Many mighty companies vanished very quickly like the dinosaurs of the years for one reason or another.

Please... Microsoft is not in a slide. Over the past years they have lost minor market share in the PC business. Still, worldwide, Mac OS X hasn't even hit the 4% mark. Windows Vista, which has been stuffed under bad press, outsold every version of Mac OS X combined in 8 months, with its sells outpacing XP too. Tell me exactly what is the source of this "slide"? Hopefully not that survey. Take a look at this one. Or this.

The argument that there are so many Windows users they can't vanish is flawed. Look how many users of records and record players there were, then cassettes. Yet in a short time CDs took over we are seeing the same with video players and tapes. DVDs may well be on the way out too.

Oh come on. I doubt Mac OS X will ever overtake Windows in our lifetime. That's hardly a fair comparison. CDs offered a genuine advantage in all cases over cassettes, with major backing from nearly every music label/studio. DVDs are on the way out because the same companies that created DVD are creating a successor, one which again offers a distinct advantage over the original. The difference from Mac OS X and Windows is not so, no matter how much you like Apple or dislike Microsoft.

Yes, im defending Microsoft ; someone needs to.