People do realize that Apple is about to take over the world?

[XNine]

Apple will not even come close to finishing off Dell. Why? Business, and poor people. Poor people can't afford a Mac, so they buy these POS Dell's from giant electronics retailers. Business? Please, do you know how many Dell boxes get in my office building every week? A dozen at least, if not more.

Apple will gain market share, and maybe 10 years from now we'll see the collapse of Windows, as it should be.

And to say that Macs don't have viruses because of marketshare is stupid. Macs don't ahve viruses because no one has created one yet. There's proof of concepts, but no viruses.

The point is, Apple isn't going to take over the entire industry. As long as they fight basic comuting hardware (remember the ACD and PRO speaker ports?) and charge big $ for their equipment, they won't take the industry over.

 

[MisterEd]

I think Google are closer to taking over the world than Apple....

 

[kashimo]

I love mac and Apple, but take over the world?

Maybe they will get a larger share. But you know that in Japan...there are many people who have never heard of Macintosh. Why? No commercials. We don't have the current commercials running in Japan. We only have iTunes and iPod commercials.

I can sit and watch people at computer stores pass over the mac. Why? they have no clue what it is . They hear about Dell (over 100 commercials a day) they hear about Sony, Toshiba, and all the other Japanese companies. They see tons of commercials a day. I have only seen one Mac commercial in 7 years of living in Japan. It was in 2001 for the G5 PowerMac. The one where they guy is thrown back in his chair and through walls by the awsome power.

If Apple would produce some computer commercials and buy time on Japanese TV (Japanese watch a lot of it), they would probably make billions.

In China...less than 1% presence. India...less than 1% presence. Those are huge populations that only know Windows and names like Dell and Sony.

 

[Lollypop]

People will always go to Tesco for their groceries, and Marks & Spencer will never touch them. But every now and then you go to M&S to get something tasty and get a different user experience.

People will never buy all their groceries in M&S.

Apple will never swallow the PC market... EVER.

To counter your arguement, M&S will never give tesco a run for its money, but people do go there sometimes, thats one of apples problems, they need to make people realize that a mac is a viable alternative!

In China...less than 1% presence. India...less than 1% presence. Those are huge populations that only know Windows and names like Dell and Sony.

Same problem over here! Apples past problems revolved around high costs, bad product management and incorrect marketing (IMO) But while they have, to an extent, resolved most of the issues, they still need to market their products elsewhere. You have seen one apple add, I have never ever seen a single one! Its going to be hard to concor the world if nobody knows about you.

 

[virus1]

I never write things like this -- but people do realize that Apple is about to slaughter Dell and any other competitor around, right?

Steve will deliver an iPhone. And then, anyone who wants to buy a Dell or HP and wait around for Vista when they can have both Leopard and Vista on one machine is -- well -- stupid.

Steve, you outlasted them all. Pixar, the Mac, the iPod, the iPhone, OSX -- thanks for making our lives better.

And from me personally, thanks for the Powerbooks and iBooks and the Shuffle (though my lanyard is dirty. Can I get a new one for free? And I am too scared to open my new video iPod. Help.)

Sorry I never gush like this but was talking to my friend about Steve tonight. Unreal contribution to society, I mean it.

What is Disney gonna do with you, Jobs? Or what are you going to do for Disney? The studios need to rethink their development slate "charms on their charm bracelet", elite-executive-who's never-touched-a-mole-richardson workaday caste problem. It's something you can remake/remodel, Steve; Hollywood needs ya.

(Though as a woman, you need a better jeans stylist, some of those black t's are really ugly and you might rethink what's left of your hair.)

couldn't agree with you more. but its not like hollywood needs him. steve just knows where to put the priorities in films, but he has already set up pixar to do that, so he has already done his work. if hollywood deserves it, they will learn the example that pixar is laying down with all thier smash hits, that what makes movies good is the story, and the message.

apple (read:jobs) is smart. these computers kick ass, these ipods kick ass, and all the content (provided by apple) kicks ass, as well as the software. apple is gaining marketshare because their products rock, not just how they are advertised. (although they are advertised very well). they are well designed, beautiful, and reasonably priced. apple has it all. the industry has always seen the fact that apple doesn't liscence osx to other hardware as a flaw, but when apple gains marketshare, people will realize that was a buisness move, and a smart one. apple is going to dominate, and it will improve and satisfy the technological cravings of the industry, and will stay on top as long as they have jobs, but after that, who knows?

 

[California]

Okay so this it totally dumb but, over here in the UK our largest supermarket chain is called Tesco. For every £7 spent on the UK High Street, £1 of it goes to Tesco - meaning they're pretty big.

But we also have a well established brand called Marks & Spencer who sell really tasty food at premium prices.

People will always go to Tesco for their groceries, and Marks & Spencer will never touch them. But every now and then you go to M&S to get something tasty and get a different user experience.

People will never buy all their groceries in M&S.

Apple will never swallow the PC market... EVER.

But that doesn't matter. None of us would want them to. The reality is, Apple have to put so much time and effort into getting within spitting distance of Dell and Microsoft that the result of the labors is much better products. We don't want Apple to reach a point where it doesn't matter what they produce because they know we'll buy it anyway.

It is better that Apple needs to compete really hard - it means we benefit. I don't know about the rest of you guys but I hope Dell and Microsoft continue to do as well as ever. I hope the masses buy their rubbish PCs and load them up with Vista. PC users are so damn ignorant that they dont care that Vista is a total rip off of Mac OS. Jeez most PC users dont even understand that there is an alternative... They think Internet Explorer IS the World Wide Web.

I was just in downtown London and my hotel happened to be across the street from a tube entrance with a M and S.

Tasty? I feel so sorry for you Brits. Really. Whole Foods/Trader Joe's here makes M and S look like 7-11 stop and go convenience markets. I'm sorry for you guys. You Brits also have to pay like almost 20USD toll just to drive into downtown London? Sad.

Anyway, that has to do with my original point. Apple's prices have come waaaay down. Once people do the math, they will get hit in the head by Apple. And if you can run windoze and OSX on one cheap lappie, uh, you are not too brilliant if you keep chosing a Hell.

 

[Blue Velvet]

You Brits also have to pay like almost 20USD toll just to drive into downtown London? Sad.

What do you know about London's transport policy? Nothing.

Your wishful thinking about Apple and marketshare demonstrates the same level of naivety.

 

[California]

couldn't agree with you more. but its not like hollywood needs him. steve just knows where to put the priorities in films, but he has already set up pixar to do that, so he has already done his work. if hollywood deserves it, they will learn the example that pixar is laying down with all thier smash hits, that what makes movies good is the story, and the message.

apple (read:jobs) is smart. these computers kick ass, these ipods kick ass, and all the content (provided by apple) kicks ass, as well as the software. apple is gaining marketshare because their products rock, not just how they are advertised. (although they are advertised very well). they are well designed, beautiful, and reasonably priced. apple has it all. the industry has always seen the fact that apple doesn't liscence osx to other hardware as a flaw, but when apple gains marketshare, people will realize that was a buisness move, and a smart one. apple is going to dominate, and it will improve and satisfy the technological cravings of the industry, and will stay on top as long as they have jobs, but after that, who knows?

Yeah, I know. I'm no groupie, just an admirer of him. And it is so weird that some journo thought up a stupid article about "when Jobs retires" or what would Apple do w/out Jobs -- that seems to have instigated this rumor/idea that Jobs is through. He's not. Gates threw in the towel because Jobs won and he didn't want to play marbles anymore.... boo hoo.

 

[spicyapple]

I can never see an Apple iPhone happening. The large telcos will never let that happen as it did for the music industry when Apple got away with fixed pricing. The telcos are already in a battle against VOIP and they are going to fight Steve...

...unless Apple releases a VOIP iPhone, then Apple will once again revolutionize another industry. I see this happening, soon.

 

[California]

it's strange the cult of personality surrounding steve jobs is around here along with the "can't do no wrong" mentality. reminds me of sony back in the day (except for the cult personality surrounding the ceo).

I know Jobs can do wrong. He's a bit too New Agey and not moral 'nuff on religion and he's made some bad calculations in his day, and his mid seventies rock and roll sensibility is dated (U2 video iPods? Yich.) and he needs to really study the great modernists from the Dada movement to the Bauhaus school to understand his own glass cube obsession. Autodidacts have great instincts but fall back on nostalgic stylistics in a pinch (again, the U2 video iPod?) -- and look at the unlikability factor in casting the guy as the "Mac" in the Mac commercials. A little bit too "Steve" there, methinks. Cute smart alek -- but not loveable like the Windoze actor! Stylistic mistake on Apple's part. The smartest kid in the room is never the most likeable -- bad casting and therefore, bad PR, Steve.

But Jobs gets TOTAL props in my cult. The cult of excellence.

I believe in meritocracy.

 

[ZoomZoomZoom]

Slaughter Dell??? What are you talking about, Apple has gained a little bit of market share but they are no where close to Dell. The business world alone will keep Dell far ahead of Apple.

I dont like Dells as much as the next guy posting on here, but your statements are ridiculous.

I don't think the statement was ridiculous. Maybe a bit inaccurate because it failed to take into account corporate purchases, but in selling to customers, Apple is kicking Dell's ass

Apple's laptop marketshare is leaping up, mostly at Dell's expense. Laptop marketshare matters a lot, especially considering that the trend is moving away from desktops and towards laptops now. (Except for heavy lifting / serious gaming.) In the retail arena, Apple's laptop marketshare doubled in 6 months. That's not just "a little bit".

Apple is also resounding in the college-aged market, where they're likely to pick up some lifelong (and rabid) customers. Word spreads fast on campus, too, when you have a ton of people living together, and some of them sport good-looking laptops that they can claim have no viruses - and now with the intel switch, can (1) run windows and (2) come at competitive prices.

 

[Queso]

I was just in downtown London and my hotel happened to be across the street from a tube entrance with a M and S.

Tasty? I feel so sorry for you Brits. Really. Whole Foods/Trader Joe's here makes M and S look like 7-11 stop and go convenience markets.

Er, the M&S Simply Food stores, like the ones at Tube stations, are stop and go convenience markets. The range M&S have in their full Food Hall stores is what Mantishead is likely referring to.

 

[California]

What do you know about London's transport policy? Nothing.

Your wishful thinking about Apple and marketshare demonstrates the same level of naivety.

Don't claim to know a thing. Wasn't a put down of UK. Loved it.

Admiring Apple/Jobs for excellence -- which always rises to the top -- isn't "wishful" nor "wistful".

Wanting the world to be a meritocracy isn't naive (nor a demonstration of naivete). It's justice with style.

 

[California]

Er, the M&S Simply Food stores, like the ones at Tube stations, are stop and go convenience markets. The range M&S have in their full Food Hall stores is what Mantishead is likely referring to.

No wonder I was underimpressed! Anyway, I just wish more Brits would come to CA. Worked for some, dated a few, admire most. I'll be back in Jan. Oh and of course, I forgot to mention Harrod's. Got lost.

 

[California]

I don't think the statement was ridiculous. Maybe a bit inaccurate because it failed to take into account corporate purchases, but in selling to customers, Apple is kicking Dell's ass

Apple's laptop marketshare is leaping up, mostly at Dell's expense. Laptop marketshare matters a lot, especially considering that the trend is moving away from desktops and towards laptops now. (Except for heavy lifting / serious gaming.) In the retail arena, Apple's laptop marketshare doubled in 6 months. That's not just "a little bit".

Apple is also resounding in the college-aged market, where they're likely to pick up some lifelong (and rabid) customers. Word spreads fast on campus, too, when you have a ton of people living together, and some of them sport good-looking laptops that they can claim have no viruses - and now with the intel switch, can (1) run windows and (2) come at competitive prices.

Oh yeah, I forgot, the other corrupt reason that Dell holds on to business marketshare is that IT people are scared of losing their jobs when there's no viruses or problems with computers. Bought a drive from a Dell ITer today. He knows his livelihood is staked to problems with PCs, and he ain't about to advocate switching to Macs to his customers anytime soon. THIS is a huge PR/ education problem for Apple. People need to understand that the old 90's business model for IT departments is dead and dying with Apple.

 

[California]

it's strange the cult of personality surrounding steve jobs is around here along with the "can't do no wrong" mentality. reminds me of sony back in the day (except for the cult personality surrounding the ceo).

I think there's a "cult" of PC IT personel who desperately want to keep their corporate jobs and are scared of Apple's lower prices and ease of use and lack of viruses.

They need you to buy Dells so they have a job.

 

[caveman_uk]

Anyway, I just wish more Brits would come to CA. .

Not unless you build a train line from here to there - I'm not worried about the terrorists. The hassle of using an airport right now and the pilferring sods at airports worry me more.

 

[rdowns]

Yeah, I know. I'm no groupie, just an admirer of him. And it is so weird that some journo thought up a stupid article about "when Jobs retires" or what would Apple do w/out Jobs -- that seems to have instigated this rumor/idea that Jobs is through. He's not. Gates threw in the towel because Jobs won and he didn't want to play marbles anymore.... boo hoo.

Further validation of Blue Velvet's comments above.

 

[rdowns]

Oh yeah, I forgot, the other corrupt reason that Dell holds on to business marketshare is that IT people are scared of losing their jobs when there's no viruses or problems with computers. Bought a drive from a Dell ITer today. He knows his livelihood is staked to problems with PCs, and he ain't about to advocate switching to Macs to his customers anytime soon. THIS is a huge PR/ education problem for Apple. People need to understand that the old 90's business model for IT departments is dead and dying with Apple.

You make a good point here. IT is a big roadblock to Apple gaining anything but pockets of acceptance in business. I have heard many ridiculous reasons for not adopting Apple ( I was a reseller for 10 years and heavily involved with IT in my last 2 jobs) but there are some very valid reasons for not doing so.

1. Users - companies hardly want to have to retrain their entire user base.
2. Legacy apps - the time, cost and hassle of rewriting apps is a huge.
3. Skills - where do companies find skilled Apple IT people?
4. Control - Correct me if I'm wrong but Macs in no way can be controlled like a PC can on a network.

As much as I'd love to put Macs in my department (and we are about to undertake a complete rewrite of our sales system), I can't see how I would have to deal with retraining my staff of 23. Not only on OS X but new apps. What hit in productivity would we take and for how long?

With limited IT resources, I had one of my employees create a massive Access database that gives me all kinds of information that I can not get anywhere else at this point. IT won't touch it and I'm worried it could blow up any day. The employee who created it is no longer with us.

The cost - Sure I could plop a mini on every desk with a cheap Dell LCD but what about software? Re-buy Office for 23? While our sales system works (mostly) under OS X, i would need a lot of tweaking.

 

[ZoomZoomZoom]

Oh yeah, I forgot, the other corrupt reason that Dell holds on to business marketshare is that IT people are scared of losing their jobs when there's no viruses or problems with computers. Bought a drive from a Dell ITer today. He knows his livelihood is staked to problems with PCs, and he ain't about to advocate switching to Macs to his customers anytime soon. THIS is a huge PR/ education problem for Apple. People need to understand that the old 90's business model for IT departments is dead and dying with Apple.

I would think that Dell beats Apple handily corporate marketshare because of their low prices and the ability to run Windows.(Macs run Windows now, but not without BootCamp, and you have to factor in the cost of purchasing a Windows license.) Plus, purchasing computers corporately usually carries much better customer service than what the normal customer can get. I doubt that Apple is going to win in that arena any time soon.

 

[Queso]

But do we even want Apple chasing after the corporate market? I'd rather they concentrate on the markets they're fighting for now, namely education, consumer, creative and high-end tech. Small businesses could be added to that, but the corporate market is not going to go Mac. Even if IT jumps off the Microsoft ship, they'll be running for Linux rather an OSX.

So Apple will be wasting resources by going after enterprise. Corp IT types know about OSX and many now have OSX machines at home, but there's a huge jump between that and managing 40,000 workstations, and to bridge that gap will cost Apple big time.

 

[jhu]

I think there's a "cult" of PC IT personel who desperately want to keep their corporate jobs and are scared of Apple's lower prices and ease of use and lack of viruses.

They need you to buy Dells so they have a job.

or maybe they're afraid of the lack of enterprise applications on the mac

 

[Palad1]

The cost - Sure I could plop a mini on every desk with a cheap Dell LCD but what about software? Re-buy Office for 23? While our sales system works (mostly) under OS X, i would need a lot of tweaking.

OR... Hire a contractor and turn your access prototype in a working & documented application?

I've never seen any access application age gracefully. It works like a charm for 2/3 years, then when everyone realize how great that little app that "Bob in accounting" made and start using it, things get ugly. Real fast...

 

[IJ Reilly]

Gates threw in the towel because Jobs won and he didn't want to play marbles anymore.... boo hoo.

Ah, yeah, sure, whatever you say. Give me $50 billion and I might be tempted to "throw in the towel" too.

Obligatory eye-rolling to follow.

 

[Mantishead]

You Brits also have to pay like almost 20USD toll just to drive into downtown London? Sad.

Yea but those congestion charges are the reason in 50 years we will be able to breathe without oxygen tanks whilst California will be covered by the Pacific after all your CO2 melted the ice caps.

Not that I have a problem with America, I love it.

And as pointed out, I was in fact talking about the full on M & S food hall, not the ones outside the tube station. Though I am by no means sticking up for the quality of produce we are subjected to in the UK. It sux big time.

Anyway, there was an ealier point about Apple's poor marketing etc. Let's face it, Steve and his team did a pretty good job of dragging Apple back by fixing (starting again) the OS and making some pretty decent hardware -- but it's the IPod that's put them on the map. As Steve said, in the last 12 months 50% of the Macs that have been purchased are PC Switchers.

You can bet your life that this would never have happened had the Ipod and iTunes not pointed out to the world that there was a company called Apple and they made okay stuff...

My Point? The iPod has been the making, or breaking, of Apple depending on your point of view.

I have been using PCs for the last 20 years. Basically because my father had them in his business and would bring one home occaisionally. After five years of graphic design and video editing I have finally decided to make the Switch. Why? Because I am nothing short of blown away by the user experience offered by Max OS X and the capabilities of the new Mac Pro. It has nothing to do with Boot Camp, and frankly anybody who wants to buy a Mac to boot into Vista needs to take a cold shower.