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Microsoft Says Windows PC Makers Seeing 'Continued Growth' in Premium Market Led by Apple

Microsoft on Thursday reported a 5% increase in revenue from licensing Windows to PC makers as part of its latest quarterly earnings results.


Give me a mac laptop does what this does:​
MSI GT72S 17" Gaming Computer - Core i7, 32GB RAM, GTX 980M
 
coolfactor said:
That's great for you. Apple's current lineup, even if not leading-edge on every front, is still a massively capable set of machinery. I'm currently running a 2013 MacBook Air as my primary productivity machine. 3 years old, and still does everything that I need it to do. I could not switch to Windows because that operating system just does not have the "workflow" support that I need. Cmd-Tab switching between my various apps, all of which work seamlessly together. That experience just does not exist on Windows.
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I don't use application switching keyboard shortcuts in macOS or Windows, but unless I'm mistaken, isn't Cmd-Tab in macOS identical to Alt-Tab in Windows 10 (and I think older versions of Windows, too?)
 
KPOM said:
There's a difference between "working fine" and being optimized for touch. The problem is that many Windows applications, like Office 2013 and 2016, and Adobe Acrobat aren't really optimized for either a touch or a non-touch environment. Instead they have a mix of big and small icons, or clearly bolted on "touch-friendly" features. I have turned off touch on my work notebook (it's running Windows 7, but that will change soon).
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wut? there are mobil and desktop versions of office apps. desktop apps are certainly optimized for mouse or trackpad
 
2ilent8cho said:
That picture with the article really shows how ugly the surface book is when put next to the Macbook Pro, and thats without its ghastly hinge being on show.
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Very true MacBook Pro looks really pretty but the moment you want to connect the Mac to a Monitor, your C-Type cable may not find its companion on the other side, may force you to get an ugly connector and also fragile cable that can break easily...
 
Appleaker said:
Yeah, i found the same thing but I think it is different with the Surface Book as it is detachable. For many people the tablet is their primary computing device for most things but they still need a computer. If Apple managed to implement a Surface Book system in a better way they would win over a lot of customers that might not be interested in a MacBook at this time.
While the Touch Bar is different to a touchscreen and is good as acting as a secondary control display, I think Apple are considering touch screens on Macs more than they ever have now.
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With the price increase for a "touch bar" macbook I believe this will be my last mac unless something big happens. I thought a touch screen for a laptop was ridiculous until I tried the wife's, I like it. I could see a surface at some point.
 
Chupa Chupa said:
Do a significant number of people really switch from Mac OS to Windows 10? Seems like a bit of a red herring to me even if Apple's current lineup is unimpressive. I can see power users, maybe, who's revenue depends on fast output changing. But is that a big number? I can't see the avg. consumer switching and also Mac seems to remain the preference of kids and college students.
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I switched this summer, after 10 years of fanboyism and apple evangelism. Now, I don't recommend apple to anyone except family and friends who doesn't need a fast computer and don't know how to use one. And honestly I don't regret it for a second, a much! faster machine and more options. and not least hardware upgradeability and not having to wait for the unknown. So no, not a red herring for me at least. And I allready got a few colleagues and friends following my footsteps.
I'm a power user though, but I spend a lot of money on tech stuff for work and pleasure, and that money isn't going to apple anymore.
 
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KPOM said:
But so are many notebooks these days, even "Pro" notebooks like the Surface Book.
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I am not sure what this has to do with my post, but okay.....

Maybe the 16GB max of RAM? I know there are other laptops that max RAM higher than 16GB. Hell, my Mac from 11 years ago has a higher RAM max.

I know that 16GB would be okay for most people, but there is two Macs that would suit most people's needs, the MBA and MB, having 16GB max ram on a "Pro" laptop today is kind of sad.
 
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iMcLovin said:
I switched this summer, after 10 years of fanboyism and apple evangelism. Now, I don't recommend apple to anyone except family and friends who doesn't need a fast computer and don't know how to use one. And honestly I don't regret it for a second, a much! faster machine and more options. and not least hardware upgradeability and not having to wait for the unknown. So no, not a red herring for me at least. And I allready got a few colleagues and friends following my footsteps.
I'm a power user though, but I spend a lot of money on tech stuff for work and pleasure, and that money isn't going to apple anymore.
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I see an upgradable sager (or possibly a surface) in my future when I get ready to change from this mac.
 
RyanA said:
I use the vi editor. Lacking a physical "Esc" key on the keyboard is a 100% deal-breaker for me. I am eyeing the new Dell XPS 15 laptops.
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Why? Why can't you press the non-physical "Esc" key? Or do what millions (made up #) of vi users do, remap Esc to another key (Caps Lock is popular, no?).
 
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Apple needs to release macOS as a $200 stand alone OS that offers limited compatibility-with support-for PC machines. Limited meaning, for support you need to follow using "suggested specific hardware" and thus reign in potential service overheads. Otherwise you are on your own. At least it's a non hacking, official way, to get your beloved macOS on hardware of your chosing.
 
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tubeexperience said:
How about Apple releasing new laptops that aren't just slightly thinner versions of last year's models?
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With one exception, every Mac laptop generation has been thinner than the previous one. And it has been a while since laptops changed their case design every year. Since 2001, each generation has lasted between 3 to 5 years:
  • 2016: 15.5 mm
  • 2013: 18 mm (this was a very minor case design change)
  • 2012: 19 mm
  • 2009: 24.1 mm
  • 2006: 25.9 mm
  • 2001: 28 mm
  • 2000: 26 mm
  • 1999: 41 mm
  • 1998: 51mm
  • 1997: 61 mm
And I can assure that if Apple had kept the same case design in 2016 (after essentially four years), the complaints about Apple stagnating would have been equally loud.
 
RyanA said:
I use the vi editor. Lacking a physical "Esc" key on the keyboard is a 100% deal-breaker for me. I am eyeing the new Dell XPS 15 laptops.
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I don't see how the touch bar interferes with vi. The escape key is always there while vi is running and you don't even actually need to press on the on-screen esc (the little black area left to the left edge of the display also respond as esc) so muscle memory hasn't been a problem. I would even say it's a hair faster since you only need to brush against it rather than pressing down.
 
manu chao said:
With one exception, every Mac laptop generation has been thinner than the previous one. And it has been a while since laptops changed their case design every year. Since 2001, each generation has lasted between 3 to 5 years:
  • 2016: 15.5 mm
  • 2013: 18 mm (this was a very minor case design change)
  • 2012: 19 mm
  • 2009: 24.1 mm
  • 2006: 25.9 mm
  • 2001: 28 mm
  • 2000: 26 mm
  • 1999: 41 mm
  • 1998: 51mm
  • 1997: 61 mm
And I can assure that if Apple had kept the same case design in 2016 (after essentially four years), the complaints about Apple stagnating would have been equally loud.
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A computer does not have to be thinner to be a fresh design. People have been brainwashed to think that.
 
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faded_glory said:
Microsoft also said that each version of Windows was "faster and safer than the previous version".
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Yes. And as a matter of fact, they always were. And it's hard to find a Mac out there that does NOT have a Windows installation on it in one form or another -- and that part is saying A LOT about the viability of macOS as a business platform...
 
Sam_S said:
Macs used to last, they don't seem to anymore, my 2013 MacBook Pro is slowly dying...
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My 2012 MBP was doing that but a complete re-install a few weeks ago (4+ years) cured it.
I removed the SSD that I have been using for 3 years and upgraded it to a 1TB drive. Re-installed and restored my files from a TimeMachine backup and the thing works great. The write speed difference in the SSD's was not that great.
 
KPOM said:
But I don't really understand why, particularly after Apple dropped the price of the adapters. Sure, they could have thrown one in (and am surprised they didn't, given that they anticipated mostly non-existent outrage over dropping the headphone jack on the iPhone 7), but it's not like most people will need more than one or two of them.
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My only argument is the removal of MagSafe. Otherwise, I agree... the pain of USB-C adoption will soon be a thing of the past.
 
Derekuda said:
Apple is train running straight into bankruptcy from bad products and overpriced watch bands no one asked for, with its stupid train conductor Tim and coal shoveling minion Johnny
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This must just be a trolling or joke statement, because it's obvious the poster has no idea what they are writing about.

:rolleyes:
 
justperry said:
You know , Microsoft, you can also install Windows on a Mac ,and, there are more of them sold so that might be the reason.:p
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Exactly. Which makes Microsoft the big winner here. Their tablets and notebooks and PCs serve as reference implementations -- it's not the market they want to lead or own. Their money is in the OEM business.
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RyanA said:
I use the vi editor. Lacking a physical "Esc" key on the keyboard is a 100% deal-breaker for me. I am eyeing the new Dell XPS 15 laptops.
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I don't know about the 15" versions, but I have two company machines that I use for work, a 13" MacBook Pro and a Dell XPS 13. The Dell runs circles around the Mac and is eating its lunch, too. While the Aluminium body of the Mac feels nicer, the Dell definitely is the superior machine in all TECHNICAL aspects (and that is where it actually counts when you want to get a job done).
 
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BeforeTheMeds said:
With the price increase for a "touch bar" macbook I believe this will be my last mac unless something big happens. I thought a touch screen for a laptop was ridiculous until I tried the wife's, I like it. I could see a surface at some point.
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Yeah, while the prices also increased by $400 with the 2012 redesign, they only lowered it by $200 over 4 years so it still ended up having a higher price.

While Apple seem very proud of the fact they are visionaries and disconnect from the technology of the past, they are still stuck in the past when it comes to price for the performance you get. Admittedly that is now improving.

You end up not using a touch screen laptop a whole lot due the reasons Apple give, but it is still useful for scrolling and selecting occasionally. However powerful, detachable touch screens are the correct implementation.
 
What so many of the posters don't get is the article is about how the premium prices of Apple products are bringing up the prices and margins Windows products in that same category.

What it's not about is whose machine is better.

It's about Microsoft finding a market niche beyond their OEM low priced OS sales.
 
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