Apple Sells Two Million Copies of Leopard in First Weekend

[Digitalclips]

Even more importantly than the numbers is the discussion in the general population. It really feels like when Windows XP came out.

XP was a time when a lot of people really got excited about a new OS and helped to really drive Microsoft up to this point.

With the failure of vista, Leopard is really starting to get the interest of the blogosphere and the general population.

I think the number is going to grow beyond the wildest dreams of all.

The tide is really turning.

I just spent some time on PC blogs and one was 90% full of PC users who were switching or had switched to OS X and in particular Leopard has them wowed. I include one typical entry from such a PC blog here
From Another Blog on a PC site: The article is lame but read the blog at bottom of the page! http://informationweek.com/blog/main...html#community
commented on Oct 30, 2007 5:56:03 AM
"I'm an MSc. in Computer Science working professionally with software development on Windows platforms for 12 years. Last year I realized seeing a friends iMac with Intel processor that, hey, this good looking machine is a PC. Great, I can buy it and run Windows on it. Would be fun to try out Mac OS also (which I have not even turned to look at before) for private stuff like photos, music and film which it said to be good at.

After 3 months I do NOT have the strength to log into Windows. It sucks, for real! I have defended Windows and loved it for 12 professional years, I know it inside out. I gave it all up in 3 months. Really! In comparison it really is worse in most aspects. And as Mac OS X has a UNIX core there is no problem to get under the hood like everyone seem to think, I would say it is the other way around. Anyway, most people do NOT want to get under the hood. You should not HAVE to get under the hood to perform basic stuff which you sometimes need to do in Windows.

Let's leave deep IT and look at stuff most people at home and at work use. I want even go into the Mac OS X built in Movie/photo/music stuff, it IS awsome. Let's look at the Office suit. I know of no-one during my professional years who wouldn't kill for beeing able to use a better word processor than Microsoft Word. Why not try out iWork Pages? The document looks better before you even start writing, and you can actually do real page layouts and typograph stuff (and it is cheaper). As well as open and save in .doc format AS WELL as .pdf, .rtf. Ever used Powerpoint? Check out iWork Keynote. You almost don't believe your eyes! And Powerpoint is what we sit and use in all offices all over the world creating crappy looking presentations paying more!

After starting using Mac OS X and the bundled software I CAN NOT believe that the world is still using Windows. The main reason I think, like for me, is that we do not know that there is an alternative. We think Macs are for "media" guys. I cannot think of one single thing I miss from Windows and that I think does something better than can be found in Mac OS X. New Leopard looks fantastic with real new groundbreaking feaures for everyday computer users which makes you more productive than ever.

I bought Apple shares for every penny I had to spare last summer. The tides must be turning now, I can hear it everywhere, I can see it everywhere. Why don't you join the movement?"

 

[~Shard~]

I arrived at the Apple store at 7pm and there was only, like, 4 hard drives left on the floor. I don't know if they just didn't have time to restock at that point, but they were obviously selling.

Another interesting stats to see in a couple months will be the sales #s for the external HDD manufacturers to see if there was a noticeable increase in sales corresponding to the release of Leopard - or perhaps at least the brands which Apple specifically stocks at their Stores.

 

[Markleshark]

Wowzers. Apple FTW

 

[kddpop]

i wonder if these numbers reflect the many "up to date" copies listed in the system as "backordered?" (like mine)

~kyle

 

[~Shard~]

As a total percentage of estimated mac users at the time - has 10.5 outsold 10.4 on opening release?

i.e. there are more users now - what percentage bought 10.5?
there were less users back when 10.4 was released - what percentage bought that in the same time frame?

I would alsao be interested is seeing this stat. Obviously more copies have been sold due to the larger Mac user base, but on a percentage basis, what % of Mac users bought Tiger upon its release versus what % of users have now bought Leopard upon its release?

Sounds like a job for Doctor Q!

 

[sulhaq]

I wonder how many of those 2 million didn't feel positive when their installation DVD didn't work or the installation finished and all they were left with was a blue screen?

Apple cannot test their OS with every third party application. Then no new OS would ever come out. It's a rule of thumb, when you're doing such a big thing as an OS upgrade, many unseen things can happen so: 1. Always keep a backup, 2. Switch off ALL third party enhancements before the upgrade. You shouldn't blame Apple for mistakes made by consumers. As we already know the Blue Screen is because of Application Enhancer.

With the failure of vista...

Vista is in no means a failure. Granted, I hate windoze and Vista is undoubtedly a bug ridden piece of crap, it is not a failure. Apple has 8% market share which means in the coming few years most all of 92% computers will have Vista installed. How? It comes pre-installed by the manufacturers.

Finally. I agree with everyone. External HDD sales must've skyrocketed. People are buying external HDDs because now they're so damn cheap, never hurts to have more storage, and now they have a reason to buy them i.e. Time Machine.

 

[~Shard~]

i wonder if these numbers reflect the many "up to date" copies listed in the system as "backordered?" (like mine)

~kyle

My guess would be that any type of order (in-store, online, back-ordered, etc.) constitutes a "sale" in Apple's books.

 

[megfilmworks]

People get set in their ways and unless something shakes them up or they happen to get a few minutes working with a Mac they may never discover how limited, ugly, buggy and overpriced MS products are. I think we can lay this change at the feet of the mighty iPod which has changed the Apple profile and brought the late adopters to the table.

 

[esquire360]

Has anyone tried making a clone of there Time Machine back up yet? So far it has failed with Finder, Carbon Copy Cloner and Super Duper.

You may think I am crazy to want to copy a back up; but the first back up is very slow (once done it is fast) and I wanted to experiment with Airport Extreme Wi Fi backup. In case i screwed up the first backup done directly (a way to get APE to work we think) in testing this theory I tried to clone it but no dice.

If anyone knows how to let me know

hey try turning off time machine, it might try wrighting a backup and that kills the clone?

 

[Digital Skunk]

What About Vista?

So how many copies of Vista have been sold in two days? A month? So far? Just curious. Comparing the two should give a good indication of how well Mac OS X does over Vista, and which OS actually adds features users will use and use effectively. Also, how many average computer users or newbies will get the hang of "what-used-to-be" advanced features like backing up files "Time Machine" and live partitioning for Boot Camp.

I am going to wait for one of two things to happen before I get Leopard, either getting my new 17" Dual 2.8GHz MacBook Pro, or whenever Apple releases 10.5.2, because there were some issues users had with Leopard, and since I am waiting for the hype to die down, I might as well wait for an improved OS.

 

[mediapimp]

About the 'blue screen'

I installed 10.5 Friday morning on both my MacBook Pro and my wifes MacBook. Installation went flawlessly on my MBP but I got the blue screen on the MacBook.

I think it is more or less a matter of patience when it comes to this as I let it sit for a while at the blue screen and then decided to shut it down by holding the power button on the MacBook. I then pressed it again to start it up and gave it a few more minutes and after maybe 5 minutes, it got past the blue screen and everything worked flawlessly and has been since.

Don't know if any of the others out there complaining have tried this method, but if anyone from these boards experience it when installing, give it a try.

 

[~Shard~]

Finally. I agree with everyone. External HDD sales must've skyrocketed. People are buying external HDDs because now they're so damn cheap, never hurts to have more storage, and now they have a reason to buy them i.e. Time Machine.

Totally agree. Not only is external storage hitting a sweet price point for the average consumer now, but with Time Machine there is even more reason to buy an external HDD.

Another factor, at least for me, is that a few years ago, if my HDD crashed, I lost maybe 30GB of data. Bad, but not horrible. But if I had a 500GB HDD in my iMac which was near capacity, and that crashed? Yikes!

As drives get larger and subsequently more valuable in terms of the volume of data being stored, backing up that data is going to become more and more paramount.

 

[Kirkmedia]

Vista a Failure?

Even more importantly than the numbers is the discussion in the general population. It really feels like when Windows XP came out.

XP was a time when a lot of people really got excited about a new OS and helped to really drive Microsoft up to this point.

With the failure of vista, Leopard is really starting to get the interest of the blogosphere and the general population.

I'm a total Mac Fanboy, but even I'm not that diluted to think Vista is a failure. MS just reported hugh profits, in part do to substantial Vista sales.

 

[~Shard~]

I'm a total Mac Fanboy, but even I'm not that diluted to think Vista is a failure. MS just reported hugh profits, in part do to substantial Vista sales.

Yeah, it also helps when you have 92% of the customer base as well... I wouldn't call Vista a failure either, but I'm sure many poeple bought it under the assumption that it would be much better than it turned out to be. When MS themselves starts offering "downgrades" from Vista to XP, you know there are issues...

 

[guzhogi]

Good job Apple. Hopefully, 3rd party apps will be written soon to take advantage of all the new features.

I work in an elementary school as their techie and the district's planning to upgrade teacher computers if/when they need to have their hard drive wiped. As for non-teacher computers, I think the plan is to upgrade those after we get rid of all our PPC computers. When that is, I don't know. Probably when 10.6 (or whatever the next major release is) comes out. On the plus side, the district's getting me and all the other techs new MacBook Pros. Woo-hoo! All the district's techs are going to have a training session next week to get them, zero out the hard drives, install Leopard & whatever other apps we need. Only thing that concerns me is that the techs got new MacBooks last year so why do we need new MacBook Pros? That $$ could have gone to buy new student computers. We have a bunch of G3 iMacs that are on their last legs that really need to be replaced. Plus, the district wide techs don't support those anymore. But that's for another thread.

Yay Apple! Here's to another several million!

 

[SvenSvenson]

Has anyone tried making a clone of there Time Machine back up yet? So far it has failed with Finder, Carbon Copy Cloner and Super Duper.

<snip>

If anyone knows how to let me know

I suspect that the above programs (except Finder) don't like the hard links that TM uses for directories. I believe that this is a new feature in 10.5 and that those programs end up chasing their own tails trying to resolve them.

Finder may just not let you mess with a TM backup.

Steve

 

[davebarnes]

So how many copies of Vista have been sold in two days? A month? So far? Just curious.

Buried in Microsoft's latest earnings report was: 9.3 million per month during the most recent quarter.

 

[Digitalclips]

hey try turning off time machine, it might try wrighting a backup and that kills the clone?

I did that thanks ... still no dice. Now I am trying to see if I can dupe TM back up with Tiger booted.

 

[EagerDragon]

Well, as far as the blue screen issue, you should check out this article. It is not Apples fault but APE, which is a non sanctioned piece of software.

[edit] the article has been updated to point out that some reports of the blue screen issue didn't involve ape. Still an interesting read.

Umm, that reminds me of all the Bricked phones due to cracking and installation of non-sanctioned software.

At least this is a minor form of brink by APE and hopefuly people are carefull with what they install "in their lean, mean Leopard Machine".

 

[elppa]

Vista is in no means a failure. Apple has 8% market share which means in the coming few years most all of 92% computers will have Vista installed. How? It comes pre-installed by the manufacturers.

A valid point, many manufacturers will load Windows on there machines. They still have to sell those machines to customers though. Whilst a number of large companies will but them, fewer consumers (particularly those looking for a laptop) are interested.

I wonder how many of those 2 million didn't feel positive when their installation DVD didn't work

The DVD is scanned to check for faults, so surely that is a good thing. AT least they get a chance to replace the installation disk, leaving their files and disks untouched.

Unlike other OSs where is ploughs on with the installation regardless of whether the installation disk is in good working order.

or the installation finished and all they were left with was a blue screen?

It would be interesting to see Leopards opening night vs Vistas opening night. From what I heard no-one queued for Vista (that could be wrong).

As had been pointed out, this affects the small proportion of users using APE.

 

[Digitalclips]

I suspect that the above programs (except Finder) don't like the hard links that TM uses for directories. I believe that this is a new feature in 10.5 and that those programs end up chasing their own tails trying to resolve them.

Finder may just not let you mess with a TM backup.

Steve

About to attach TM drive and a target to a Tiger boot ... this might not get around this issue ... but I will soon know.

 

[darthraige]

More the reason to release a new MacPro and have two million people buy that God-Like Machine. lol

 

[EagerDragon]

I wonder how long it took Vista to reach 2 mil units?
M$ does counts machines sold with Vista Install in that number.

 

[guzhogi]

All this talk of Time Machine makes me wonder how much of a difference ZFS would have made. However, if/when Apple does decide to go w/ ZFS or another file system, I worry about people having to wipe out their hard drives and reinstall everything. While hard drives are cheap, current hard drives are so big already, people will have to spend a bit to back everything up. Plus, think about those companies w/ huge RAIDs or whatever.

I wonder how long it took Vista to reach 2 mil units?
M$ does counts machines sold with Vista Install in that number.

Probably not long since Windows PCs have 90%+ marketshare so when Vista came preinstalled, that's a lot of copies.

 

[Kirkmedia]

Vista a Failure?

Yeah, it also helps when you have 92% of the customer base as well... I wouldn't call Vista a failure either, but I'm sure many poeple bought it under the assumption that it would be much better than it turned out to be. When MS themselves starts offering "downgrades" from Vista to XP, you know there are issues...

I hear you, but they're still making a ton of money Let's see what the future holds. In the mean time, let us all bask in the glory of hugh Leopard sales!!