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Apple Sees U.S. Mac Shipments Drop 2.5% in 2Q15 Amid Larger Worldwide PC Shipment Decline
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I wish there was a way to look back in a few years. I think Windows 10 is going to hurt Apple HUGE in the Mac business. I have played around with it for the past few weeks and to be honest it is significantly better than Yosemite. It is still in beta and it is very stable. A couple years ago I would have never dreamed of switching back to Windows. This past week I have spent significantly more time in Windows 10 insider build than I have spent in Yosemite. It is sad for Apple because if someone as committed to Mac as myself is ready to jump, I just have to wonder how many others feel the same.Sales dropped eh? And people say that everyone loves Yosemite.....
I completely agree with you with respect to form over function (in many cases I would refer to it as profit margin over function). The writing became visible on the wall when they release the Mac Mini in 2014. People talk of arrogance at Apple and that release was about as arrogant as you can get. They assumed the following:
- Apple customers were too stupid to recognize a significantly inferior product
- removing function and adapters (included with 2012 and prior minis), was going to go unnoticed when they acted like they were lowering prices
- that customers would fall in line because they rolled out their same old folks with the same cliché's
Apple as a company is riding the iPhone wave from 2007/8. Before the iPhone, Apple was a mediocre company at best.
I do not see doom for Apple but they need to understand the following:
- Their much less expensive competitors have caught them (or surpassed them).
- Rolling out old guys on stage to talk about how great their products are, doesn't make them great.
- Their customers are smart enough to see value in products (or lack there of)
Lastly, Apple made a HUGE mistake over the last 5-7 years. They had an opportunity to take over the corporate environment and marketshare with Macs, especially after the windows 8 joke. How can a company like Apple not capitalize on that?
Arrogance, simple arrogance.
The problem with the headline is that it's based on one analysts's predictions. Another analyst has come along and said something completely different.
It's all a guessing game.
As for US vs the world... you're right. We typically count worldwide numbers when discussing growth or loss.
Worldwide... Apple sold 4.4 million Macs in the July quarter of 2014.
So as long as they can top that this year... they will be growing. And I'm sure that's what Apple is focused on.
While not trying to show you ANY disrespect, I would recommend you take a look at the other hardware out there. If you prefer Apple "Hardware" than you definitely like how your system looks, rather than how it performs. Apple hardware is 30-40% more cost with much less overall function. They are and look thinner, but they have removed significant functionality to get there.
I can see it now. June, 2016. Apple innovates again.
Enter Stage Left - Old Apple executive with rehearsed cliché's. (Receives a remote from "Tim" )
Apple designs the thinnest and cheapest laptop in the world.
- It runs OS X, "The best operating system in the world."
- Apple had to remove the keyboard, screen and power button. There are two new USB-A Proprietary ports for your external keyboard and mouse (available online for $209 each.)
- The system is $200 cheaper than the previous model.
- If you need a power button, there is an App for that, only available on your Apple Watch.
Old Guy Exits Stage Left
Without responding to your whole post, no, I really don't care about performance beyond a certain point. I bought my mid-2012 cMBP three years ago, and it still runs just as fast as it did when I bought it. I put in an SSD a year ago, and it flies. That's all I care about. There were faster computers when I bought it, and there are way faster computers now.
And yes, if the only thing you care about is performance, don't buy a Mac. Macs obviously aren't for you. I had exclusively Windows computers until three years ago, and I still use Windows machines alongside my Mac. I prefer the Mac.
They'll achieve that without too many problems because outside of the EU and US the emerging markets are growing, the emerging middle class now want a computer for their family to do school work, surf the net, work from home. The end user having had their first experience with an Apple product via the iPhone sees the brand as reputable and worth investing in. I have friends China and they'll tell you that Apple is the aspirational brand that people go for when they have the money to do so - cheap is great but once people earn more money the want something to show that success off to friends and family; a nice European car, a tailored suit and MacBook or an iMac; Samsung on your way to success then get an iPhone once you're successful.
And you are aware that every one of these has been compromised with form over function as well? It seems that Apple these days is far more concerned about what a computer looks like, than how much you can do with it.
My MacBook Pro is as good as a MacBook Pro has ever been, as is my iMac. Both are more powerful and far more energy efficient than their predecessors. They are the best models of each series to date, without question.
You're not making any sense.
As posted above, Apple has actually taken steps away from a market that is extremely lucrative: The business/enterprise sector. Even now, I still see a preference for Apple's equipment over other brands when it comes to sales or executives, just because the quality, fit/finish difference is obvious.
What Apple should consider doing is at least stepping back into the education market with machines. Get this segment, it gets students used to that, and when out, they buy Macs and other items.
For the enterprise, if Apple could make an iMac model that doesn't have a camera and mic for the office (due to regulations), Apple would make money hand over fist. It is easier to make one sale of 10,000 desktops than to make 10,000 sales of one desktop.
Apple also sits on enough cash to develop enterprise-tier applications. For example, something that is functionally identical to AD or Exchange, and unlike OpenLDAP or Zimbra, can scale to the millions of users. The fact that Apple sells the hardware, the OS, and the software makes it appealing as a one stop shop.
Apple can also go after new enterprise markets. VDI for example. Having virtual desktops and a seamless interface (which isn't hard to do with X Windows) designed into the OS would go far, as opposed to the bolted on solutions of App-V or Citrix.
What Apple should consider doing is at least stepping back into the education market with machines. Get this segment, it gets students used to that, and when out, they buy Macs and other items.
For the enterprise, if Apple could make an iMac model that doesn't have a camera and mic for the office (due to regulations), Apple would make money hand over fist. It is easier to make one sale of 10,000 desktops than to make 10,000 sales of one desktop.
Apple also sits on enough cash to develop enterprise-tier applications. For example, something that is functionally identical to AD or Exchange, and unlike OpenLDAP or Zimbra, can scale to the millions of users. The fact that Apple sells the hardware, the OS, and the software makes it appealing as a one stop shop.
Apple can also go after new enterprise markets. VDI for example. Having virtual desktops and a seamless interface (which isn't hard to do with X Windows) designed into the OS would go far, as opposed to the bolted on solutions of App-V or Citrix.
As long as you don't ask questions, you'll always be happy with Apple, and Apple will always be happy with you.
Good to see the rest of the world is just as slavishly attached to Brand and Status as the first world is, rather than rational thought. Makes for a much more interesting future.
Oh, there's plenty missing.
I believe I heard the same thing from a "Cube" buyer once.
and back on topic... Bernstein Research estimates that even with this low share of the computer market, Apple probably has over half of the profit.
In Asia it is more so given that consumer protection laws are more or less non-existent so many make large purchasing decisions based on the brand and the reputation of the brand - the companies in return take care of their customers because they want to hold onto that reputation that they have which therefore feeds into people wanting to buy more of their products. The thing is Samsung has done an atrocious job at taking care of their customers after market - purchase a flag ship phone and get updates for Android? well, that is anyones guess (Samsung routinely blames carriers but the two major carriers have ok'ed updates only to find that it takes 2-3 months for Samsung to finally release the update to customers). Then there is the crapware - why install stuff that I don't want on the operating system; is it really necessary to have a Samsung clone of what is already included with Android? do your really need to include Dropbox by default and make it impossible to uninstall? These are the issues that keep me coming back to the iPhone - Apple's competitors just don't seem to get 'it'.
