Dell Says He'd Sell Apple's Mac OS

[Windowlicker]

It's going to happen, it's all just a matter of time.

It might not be soon, but there will be a day when you can walz in to Best Buy and buy Mac OS (enter version here), go home, and install it on the PC you already own.

I think it's great, I don't know what all the 'heart break' is about.

Apple now has something like 100 (?) different setups that can run OSX now. If OSX is going to be the OS of any computer, the number of different systems will be much, much more. And that leads to problems with compatibility, which is something the folks at Apple don't want for sure.

 

[nagromme]

My distaste for Dells aside, there is a MIDDLE GROUND between the two extremes:

* Apple keeping OS X to themselves, running only on Macs--as currently we expect. (Rebranding Apple Macs--if a company like HP ever did so--still falls under "keeping it to themselves" in my book. The HP iPod is no different after all--still in Apple's control, and all sales are still Apple sales.)

Vs.

* Apple selling it to anyone with an Intel PC--which could make a lot of software money, but would make OS X's complexity and support costs skyrocket (probably reducing quality)... and remove the benefits of hardware and OS designed together... and potentially take away from Apple's own hardware business (unless the Mac market grew to compensate--an interesting gamble).

What's the middle ground?

Apple doesn't sell OS X to PC owners. They don't sell it OEM to just any old PC makers either.

But they sell it to one (or a few) selected partners, and have a big say in the hardware specs. Thus, OS X doesn't become more complex to maintain and support, AND the Pandora's Box of OS X on any old PC stays firmly closed. Yet there are now two or three sources of OS X machines, rather than one. Apple lets go of SOME control, in a strategic way.

I can see that happening some time, if the time is right and partnerships can be found that would deal with Apple's concerns.

Maybe Dell, maybe not--but I can see one day there being some "generic PC" Macs out there, costing just slightly less--or maybe being only on the LOW end of the Mac lineup.

It might not be a bad thing for Apple, if done in a controlled way with select partners only.

I'm not saying it will be a good thing either--the timing would have to be right in the market--but I can see it happening and not being the end of the world.

 

[joeboy_45101]

To suggest that Apple is solely a hardware company is ridiculous. Apple has morphed into more than just selling computer hardware or software. The software sells the hardware but software is a higher margin product than hardware.

If a user manual is provided with the software it actually costs more to produce than the media in which the software is stored on. Hell, even the box that the software is sold in costs more than the disk that holds the software. Apple may have relied on good free software to sell machinery in the past but I would say that things are more balanced. Large revenue is made by selling packages like iLife and iWork and selling services like .Mac. And selling music through the Music Store has even become slightly profitable for Apple, I remember Jobs mentioning that Apple had made a small profit one quarter from the Music Store.

I see Apple morphing even further into a media technology company. Providing the best tools for the production and playback of state of the art media such as Audio, Photography, and Video.

 

[cube]

I just cant see Dells w/ OS X in them. It's like putting a BMW engine in a Hyundai.

Dude, "Macs" will be Hyundais. Mac as BMW is finished.

 

[Stella]

The Key is here: *You* don't.

No one is forcing *You* to buy a dell, *you* have the option of many other quality manufacturers, including Apple.

For many *other* people, the hardware doesn't matter, a Dell just works fine.

If apple license to other PC manufacturers they will have to support more hardware, and the more hardware is supported the less reliable the OS will be, due to the more likelyhood of badly written drivers.

But I don't want the cheapest computer possible. And Dell is about putting together the cheapest parts possible. I want quality. And quality cost a little extra. (Even though the 20" Dell/Apple screen price difference is ridiculous).

If Apple starts licensing its OS we're heading for the clone (resisting urge to put in 'wars' here) mess all over again...

 

[AoWolf]

Its interesting stuff like this makes me think, do we like our macs because they are different or because its the best OS. I know it could be augured you would lose OS quality buy doing this and that may well be true. I wonder how many of us really want Macintosh to be the #1 market-share OS? I know I don't.

 

[shazammy]

Didn't Dell sell the iPod for a short period of time? After it became Windows compatible and started to really take off... Then they threw the DellDJ together and dropped the iPod.

No.

 

[Paul O'Keefe]

Why NOT to partner with Dell.

Dell sells direct. Apple sells direct. Apple doesn't need Dell to sell it's software or hardware... apple just needs to make it's direct sales bigger and it's inventory better.

Apple needs to push the Apple store big time and make sure it has products available in a timely fashion to meet demand.

 

[excalibur313]

You must admit that a dell with os x would be better than a dell with windows. It's true that the hardware in dell's really suck but i think some of you are being a little bit overly dramatic. Even if that happened i'd still buy all my hardware from apple because the build quality is far better (you do get what you pay for though). I think it would only affect those that wouldn't switch anyway. And then they'd see how good it is but how much the hardware sucks and then fully switch over.

 

[Object-X]

The end of Apple hardware? Hahaha...

i would rather shoot myself than see dells with OS X

It's attitudes like yours that make the possibility of Apple hardware sales suffering becuase of clones laughable. There are enough people who feel this way that no matter what Apple does with OS X, there will always be a market for Apple computers.

There will always be a demand for Apple hardware.

 

[itcomesinwaves]

Yeah-Huh!

regarding my assertion that Dell sold iPods at one point...

No.

Actually I just looked it up, and I was right, they did.

http://news.com.com/2100-1040-963901.html

article includes this great quote:
"We don't consider Apple a competitor across the full range of products," said Dell spokeswoman Mary Fad. "Maybe it would be odd if we had iMacs on the store (Web site)."

 

[obeygiant]

From front page...



Didn't he say its about software?

yeah... "its the software, stupid."

 

[zv470]

This would probablly be one of the greatest things to happen for OS X ever!

Noooooooo!!!!
This would be the worst thing ever!


This is what would happen:

1) OS X enters the mainstream PC market.
2) OS X and Mac software piracy sky-rockets.
3) Say hello to OS X Virii, Adware, Spyware, Malware.
4) DELL buys out Apple for $0.10 a share.


Edit: And... while I'm in a bad mood... EMI stop your blimmen Copy-Protection bullsh*t and I'll stop boycotting your music.

 

[Josh]

Dude, "Macs" will be Hyundais. Mac as BMW is finished.

Considering Hyundai was ranked #2 behind Lexus for customer satisfaction and quality last year, I don't think that's such a bad thing

http://money.cnn.com/2004/10/04/pf/autos/hyundai/index.htm?cnn=yes

 

[wdlove]

Dell sells direct. Apple sells direct. Apple doesn't need Dell to sell it's software or hardware... apple just needs to make it's direct sales bigger and it's inventory better.

Apple needs to push the Apple store big time and make sure it has products available in a timely fashion to meet demand.

I think that Michael Dell likes to hear himself talk. It's a mater of business and making money. It would be a bad idea.

Apple doesn't need Dell. There is a need for more advertising on the part of Apple.

 

[iMeowbot]

Didn't Dell sell the iPod for a short period of time? After it became Windows compatible and started to really take off... Then they threw the DellDJ together and dropped the iPod.

Yeah, they were selling iPod for a while. That Dell decided to put together their own might be the biggest reason for Apple not to license to them. Not because Dell dropped the iPod, but because Dell has that commodity mindset.

 

[Mac-Xpert]

It's attitudes like yours that make the possibility of Apple hardware sales suffering becuase of clones laughable. There are enough people who feel this way that no matter what Apple does with OS X, there will always be a market for Apple computers.

There will always be a demand for Apple hardware.

Licensing will very likely hurt Apples hardware sales. Simply looking back at the time that Apple licensed Mac-OS to several hardware vendors the sales went down while the total amount of Mac-os running computers hardly grew. That's why Steve Jobs stopped the licensing. I don't think it will be much different today.

 

[cube]

Considering Hyundai was ranked #2 behind Lexus for customer satisfaction and quality last year, I don't think that's such a bad thing

I just repeated the brand he used. I understand Hyundais are pretty good cars. For me, "Macs" will be something like Yugos with good looks.

 

[narco]

Damn, we all see what a moan-fest it was when Apple knocked up Intel, image the drama (and potential nerd-suicides) if Apple ever releases OS X for just any PC.

Personally, I wouldn't really mind at this point. I've already accepted the fact of all the Intel business. Whether OS X is released on a PC or an old 8-bit Nintendo, the same crap is going to be said: no software, no games, not compatible with your existing stuff. This kind of transition could take a long time, but it's off to a good start (so far).

All I know is I will continue to buy Macintosh computers as long as they're made. Apple had a hit with the iPod, and (some say) due to that they were finally able to create a low-end Mac. If Apple's marketshare goes up dramatically due to porting OS X to run on any PC, I can only imagine what great stuff (and cheaper prices) they'll be able to put out in the future.

To sum it up: OS X on a Dell? Go for it; I just won't buy one.

Fishes,
narco.

 

[gwangung]

My distaste for Dells aside, there is a MIDDLE GROUND between the two extremes:

* Apple keeping OS X to themselves, running only on Macs--as currently we expect. (Rebranding Apple Macs--if a company like HP ever did so--still falls under "keeping it to themselves" in my book. The HP iPod is no different after all--still in Apple's control, and all sales are still Apple sales.)

Vs.

* Apple selling it to anyone with an Intel PC--which could make a lot of software money, but would make OS X's complexity and support costs skyrocket (probably reducing quality)... and remove the benefits of hardware and OS designed together... and potentially take away from Apple's own hardware business (unless the Mac market grew to compensate--an interesting gamble).

What's the middle ground?

Apple doesn't sell OS X to PC owners. They don't sell it OEM to just any old PC makers either.

But they sell it to one (or a few) selected partners, and have a big say in the hardware specs. Thus, OS X doesn't become more complex to maintain and support, AND the Pandora's Box of OS X on any old PC stays firmly closed. Yet there are now two or three sources of OS X machines, rather than one. Apple lets go of SOME control, in a strategic way.

I can see that happening some time, if the time is right and partnerships can be found that would deal with Apple's concerns.

Maybe Dell, maybe not--but I can see one day there being some "generic PC" Macs out there, costing just slightly less--or maybe being only on the LOW end of the Mac lineup.

It might not be a bad thing for Apple, if done in a controlled way with select partners only.

I'm not saying it will be a good thing either--the timing would have to be right in the market--but I can see it happening and not being the end of the world.

Yeah, pretty spot on...a very nuanced and realistic look at potential future strategy.

Obviously, the time to use other vendors is NOT now. Way too much chaos right now, and changing your business paradigm takes a hell of a lot of planning...at least as much, if not more so, than an architecture change.
Trying to do both at once is asking for trouble.

We're probably not going to see this for AT LEAST three or four years, and probably not until Intel/Macs make up a major portion or majority of the installed user base.

 

[Stella]

Viruses would be targetted towards OSX if it got to a certain point of popularity, with or without Dells help.

I hope your not one of those people who think that Apple computers shouldn't have a more than 5% marketshare... ;-)

Noooooooo!!!!
This would be the worst thing ever!


This is what would happen:

1) OS X enters the mainstream PC market.
2) OS X and Mac software piracy sky-rockets.
3) Say hello to OS X Virii, Adware, Spyware, Malware.
4) DELL buys out Apple for $0.10 a share.

 

[iDrinkKoolAid]

I could see them doing a deal with HP/Compaq and IBM, but not Dell.

Though I could see Dell selling the Mactel's or whatever Apple calls them.

HP/Compaq? They make some of the worst laptops I've seen. My boss had a Compaq laptop and the left mouse button broke after 2 weeks. His business partner had an HP laptop and it wouldn't boot up after installing a PCMCIA Wi-Fi card.

Not that DULL laptops are great either. My friend had a top-of-the-line (not the XPS) DULL laptop and turns out the nVidia drivers were buggy. So he had to scrounge the Internet to find some random person who wrote a more stable driver for the thing. I've also seen him send back the thing to DULL for repairs many a time. (but I forgive him, as he could not figure out a way to author DVDs on a PC well, he broke down and bought an iBook G4 and DVD Studio Pro)

I believe the Mac OS should be licensed to Sony VAIO laptops - my favorite. At least it's got some style. It is ironic that Sony Design Center uses Macs to design VAIO PeeCees according to Paul Kunkel's Digital Dreams : The Work of the Sony Design Center. Another friend (administers PCs and Macs) has owned various flavors of the VAIO laptops, they are all somewhat nice to look at.

 

[Object-X]

Microsoft is weak

This article and Dell's response should demonstrate how weak Microsoft is becoming. Those words have to be worrying Microsoft execs. Blood is in the water and the sharks are getting a little excited.

 

[emulator]

regarding my assertion that Dell sold iPods at one point...

Actually I just looked it up, and I was right, they did.

http://news.com.com/2100-1040-963901.html

article includes this great quote:
"We don't consider Apple a competitor across the full range of products," said Dell spokeswoman Mary Fad. "Maybe it would be odd if we had iMacs on the store (Web site)."

Right, they sold it, stopped selling it for a couple of months and then started to sell it again until their 'DJ' came out in 2003.

 

[ericdano]

I think that if Apple was to license their OS to anyone it would be with HP, seeing how they already have a relationship with them. But I doubt the chance of this happening anytime soon.. maybe, and I have my doubts, years after the processor switch is complete but not anytime sooner... at least that is my prediction. The only reason why I think apple would not do this is because it would set up competition for themselves and they are into making not only the best OS but the best computer experience.

Yeah. But what model will HP produce? That is the question. Could Apple produce enough computers on it's own if demand doubled? Tripled? I think they might be able to handle double, but triple...........