it will definitely be interesting to see how sustainable these gains are, and what effect the next revisions to the notebooks make (assuming those revisions include an external overhaul, which is definitely not a given)
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple's PC Marketshare up to 14 Percent for February 2008
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I'm betting that Vista per se isn't the only reason. I think the move on the part of a lot of PC makers to get rid of XP along with MS's plans to discontinue XP support early next year (from what I last heard) is the real source of growth for Apple. I think is MS had left XP alone we probably wouldn't be seeing this much growth (some, but not this much.)
I just find it somewhat ironic that Apple is growing like crazy at a time when I think they have one of the most pathetic computer line-ups in the last decade. I think the Mini is underpowered and overpriced and the iMacs are fatally flawed with very poor quality displays. Then again, I suspect it's the laptops driving this. Apple's laptops are fantastic. I don't see any rush on the Minis and the iMac. They're both pretty crappy as it stands.
Well there's still the motivation that most virus creators have - reputation and notoriety. To be able to boast that he/she created the first widely distributed virus for MacOS X must be hugely important - "OMFG Macs r now pwned I'm so 1337".
But after hearing warnings for at least three years from security companies, it STILL hasn't happened.
Ok, so none of these market share number (NPD, NetApplications, etc) mean anything by them selves, but they seem to universally indicate a growing Mac share. I'll be happy knowing the trend is up, without worrying about exact numbers.
Or it can be interpreted as: Now that you don't have a job anymore, there's less of a need to get a machine like the one at the office...Keep it coming. The fact that people are buying in the face of a (real or perceived) recession is impressive. The computer seems to be right up there as being just as indispensable as a car or a TV. If it breaks, you find a way to repair or get a new one, despite the difficulty in affording one. It's a "must-have." Go!
Beauty is in the mind of the beholder! Besides, you failed to mention OSX as another reason for Apples popularity!
I got a vista laptop last year and this year I'll be adding to Apple's 14% market share because of it this year.
Nah. It would have happened already. Apple needs to get 95% of the market to prove it though. It would be interesting to see Windows gone like OS 9.
I live in a town with 35,000+ students and faculty. If I were M$ and saw the percentage of our future consumers and leaders lugging MacBook's around campus I would be very worried. A MacBook has become a kind of standard graduation present for college bound high school grads.
Many moons ago I bought my first Japanese car in college. I have bought only 2 Big 3 made cars since (out of about 15).
Many moons ago I bought my first Japanese car in college. I have bought only 2 Big 3 made cars since (out of about 15).
Not Dead Yet
In 1994 I worked for a small company where I convinced the owners to bring Macs into the office, against the wishes of our bean counter. It was constant struggle, which I lost in 1998 when a "computer consultant," told us that there was no reason for us to use Macs because "everything that you can do a Mac, you can do on Windows." But the clincher was, "Besides, Apple Is going to be out of business within two years, and you will have to buy Windows computers then anyway."
I pointed out that people had been predicting Apple's demise since 1984, and they were still in business. He never responded but I remember he chuckled and gave me a condescending smile as if he was dealing with a third grader who just told him that he knew how to build a jet fighter.
I ran into the former bean counter a couple of years ago, and she asked me if I was still using Macs, I said yes, and pointed out that Apple was still in business. She said "not for long!"
I have always felt that one of Apple's slogans should be:
"Apple - proudly going out of business for over 20 years"
In 1994 I worked for a small company where I convinced the owners to bring Macs into the office, against the wishes of our bean counter. It was constant struggle, which I lost in 1998 when a "computer consultant," told us that there was no reason for us to use Macs because "everything that you can do a Mac, you can do on Windows." But the clincher was, "Besides, Apple Is going to be out of business within two years, and you will have to buy Windows computers then anyway."
I pointed out that people had been predicting Apple's demise since 1984, and they were still in business. He never responded but I remember he chuckled and gave me a condescending smile as if he was dealing with a third grader who just told him that he knew how to build a jet fighter.
I ran into the former bean counter a couple of years ago, and she asked me if I was still using Macs, I said yes, and pointed out that Apple was still in business. She said "not for long!"
I have always felt that one of Apple's slogans should be:
"Apple - proudly going out of business for over 20 years"
It helps to sell Apple computers, or more correctly Macs, at various on-line places like B&H Photo, Amazon and other big electronics on-line retailers. I'm sure if Apple allowed Dell to sell Apple products, they would be very happy to do so. After all Dell has lots of corporate accounts. There is money to be made regardless of the animosity between Steve Jobs and Michael Dell.
I predict that Macs will be 30%+ of market share by 2010.
I predict that Macs will be 30%+ of market share by 2010.
historic data
Doesn't this article in Macrumors https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/304175/ show historic data from NPD? I would think this allows us to make a better comparison - at least vs. March 2007. Either way this growth seems to indicate a huge increase in growth rate of Macs - I thought Apple was tracking closer to 35% growth year over year. Very impressive...
Doesn't this article in Macrumors https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/304175/ show historic data from NPD? I would think this allows us to make a better comparison - at least vs. March 2007. Either way this growth seems to indicate a huge increase in growth rate of Macs - I thought Apple was tracking closer to 35% growth year over year. Very impressive...
If it's market share and not more related to the OS, explain to me why System 7.x/8.x which had a smaller market share than OS X does now, had tons of viruses and spyware?
Because usually when somebody makes something that resembles a virus for OS X, they win money and/or it's huge news on all of the technology websites, and it'd make all the Apple bashers cream their pants and give them something to use in arguments for years.
So many analysts had predicted the downfall of Apple and continued to downgrade their stock. This is such a great response to those that saw a PC world without the Mac.
Key words....PC marketshare. I've see and know a TON of people who run Windows exclusively on a MacBook and MBP. There is always spin to be had with these numbers.
Probably not ... at least not on a global market. Most of the world doesn't need high end, beautifully designed computers. I can't see outsourced workers in India using an iMac when they can get a much much cheaper PC that will do the work they need done. On the other hand, within specialized sectors like the creative world and university campuses I can imagine a market share like you have stated (in the creative world it seems like that or higher already - at least in NYC).
Vista was one of the best things to happen for Apple!
No vista was the best thing to happen to Microsoft. They needed this update years ago just as Apple needed the painfully buggy as heck 10.0 in 2000.
I've been using Vista on my MBP and my 1.2Ghz ULV tablet PC. With SP1 I will NEVER use XP ever again. The features kicks XP's butt around the block and then wraps it in a carpet and drops its corpse into the river.
People who complain about Vista:
1. Have never used it beyond sitting infront of it for 10 minutes
2. Have not used it with SP1.
3. Are stupid Mac\*nix fanbois, who no one cares about anyways.
4. Are running some really old wares that aren't, and frankly shouldn't be, compatible with Vista. MS's big problem for years is supporting all this legacy crap in its OS....unknown fact #238. XP still has drivers for reel to reel tape drives. With vista MS said enough of this crap. Something that Apple loves to do every 2-3 years...vs MS that does it every 10+
No seriously the fanbois need to shut up. Vista should be making Apple nervous. Not because of what was desplayed in 2007...but where Vista is in 2008 and with SP1. Because as I said before once MS gets its framework straightened out, which they are, they can focus on the feature set in a much more aggressive time frame then what Vista took. Apple free ride with OS X vs. XP comparisons if over. OS X vs. a more mature Vista will be beginning this Summer and Fall. As it stands the "top secret" features of Leopard don't blow Vista out of the water for anyone other then the fanbois. they are a nice addition to the OS....nothing more.
The first virus that spreads through the OS X world like wildfire will gain huge notoriety for its writer. Sounds like good motivation to me. Wouldn't you rather claim you broke into Fort Knox that a whole neighborhood that left all their doors open?
OriginalMacRat never claimed it was impenetrable.
It's about boxes not the computers....
This is retail numbers right?
People walk in slap down some cash or credit and walk out with a box, arranging their own transport.
So this is all due to Apples on going work to make the boxes as small and nice looking as possible, unlike a PC with all those components that each need a person to carry, or save the hassle buy online get it delivered.
Sure it helps that what's in the box is good, but i can't see many Mac Pros or the surfboard sized Xservers being in those numbers.
This is retail numbers right?
People walk in slap down some cash or credit and walk out with a box, arranging their own transport.
So this is all due to Apples on going work to make the boxes as small and nice looking as possible, unlike a PC with all those components that each need a person to carry, or save the hassle buy online get it delivered.
Sure it helps that what's in the box is good, but i can't see many Mac Pros or the surfboard sized Xservers being in those numbers.
Do you have a source for that 30-35% figure? To my best recollection, the Mac peaked with ~15% market share in the early 90s.
Also, what almost bankrupted Apple was not a market share above all else strategy, but rather an increasing tendency to neglect their consumer line-up. The Performas were s__t computers. I owned one, which happened to be one of the worst Macs ever made: the Performa 6200CD. It almost made me a Windows user. At the time, the high-end Macs were fantastic, but the Performas were horrible.
That's why I've been seen on these message forums lately decrying the decline in quality in the iMacs and the slowing down of Apple's update cycle for the Mini and the iMac. Right now, Apple's doing great, but I see them veering back toward that old attitude of neglecting the consumer machines while spending too much time with the high-end boxes. That's exactly what happened in the mid-90s.