Survey Shows Increasing Mac Interest

[JONNYCHO]

Right. The Core 2 Duo's have been out how long...a month perhaps, and Apple is falling behind?

Unless they start giving thier software for free then they have no chance people can choose a good Windows on a pc or pay loads for a mac. Or they could just use Linux. Linux will probably beat both of them in the near future when they get more software included. I know personally I will be switching from Apple to linux on my pc in about 2 weeks when I can get everything backed up safely so I will have Linux and windows on 2 hdd's from this point there is no point in going back to mac since you can get everything you want in linux for free

 

[twoodcc]

i think this is great news. the more mac sales, the better

 

[Donnacha]

Right. The Core 2 Duo's have been out how long...a month perhaps, and Apple is falling behind?

Uh, yeah, I'd say they're falling pretty far behind actually.

Practically every student in my media studies class was lined up to by fully-loaded MacBook Pro's - the semester began in September but they were willing to hang on until October for the "imminent" C2D MBP. October arrived but no laptop C2D, so, around 80 potential Apple customers now have shiny new Dell C2Ds. Dell gave them a great discount, too.

Apple needs to realise that potential switchers aren't willing to eat quite as much sh*t as long-time Apple fans like us.

 

[darwen]

I'm becoming sure that however many Macs Apple sells, that market share figure will never climb above the magic 5% limit.

Does saying that make me one of those Mac Zealots I keep hearing about?

No, I kind of agree.

I think the increase in sales is because of the new MacBook... it is just right for everybody!

 

[Apple Shmapple]

People with PCs must not leave their houses much...I've been to coffee shops and airports all over, and it seems about half of the laptops I see are Apple.

Thats because many, many people purchase Apple computers for the same reason they buy designer jeans or luxury cars- they want to be SEEN with it.

You really think anyone would pay more for a luxury car if they couldn't impress others with it?? Any car can get you from A to B, and most do it with an equal level of dependability. It's convincing those with low self esteem to spend more than they have to just to make themselves feel better about themselves that has helped luxury automobiles.....and Apple.

I don't think many on this board bought an Apple for that reason, but there are millions out there that did. And you can find most of them in public attempting to "strut their stuff".

 

[topgun072003]

I concurr. Almost every concert I go to now, I see a MacBook on stage. I see mac notebooks everywhere. One thing I hate is when i see people dissuading potential buyers away from macintoshes, simply because Windows is the more common operating system, when most of the time, these are new computer buyers and wouldn't be able to use Wwindows in the first place.

the only reason you're seeing them now, is because you're noticing them because you have one or want one. Before that the Macs were still on stage its just that you didn't care so they didn't stand out. That goes for everyone...of course you see a lot of macs...you want to. The market share tells the truth.

 

[Sinsinnati]

IMHO, it still is a marketing issue. Mac-ads on Dutch TV?? Most people don't even know Apple make the iPods! eek: ) If they see an iMac, some even call it the "iPod-computer", but have no idea it can do stuff their PC can do too.

LOL, I can see someone saying that.

 

[TheLandOfSmeg]

Uh, yeah, I'd say they're falling pretty far behind actually.

Practically every student in my media studies class was lined up to by fully-loaded MacBook Pro's - the semester began in September but they were willing to hang on until October for the "imminent" C2D MBP. October arrived but no laptop C2D, so, around 80 potential Apple customers now have shiny new Dell C2Ds. Dell gave them a great discount, too.

Apple needs to realise that potential switchers aren't willing to eat quite as much sh*t as long-time Apple fans like us.

So very true. I am one of those waiting for C2D, but the term has started and I'm still waiting. I am a student developer, and if they wait much longer I will get a Dell. I think about getting the Dell everyday but my heart has been set on the MacBook Pro.

Apple are losing many sales by not offering the cutting edge. Wasn't the point of the Intel switch to have Portable 64-bit offerings that IBM could not deliver with the G5?

 

[djlu]

I can. The iPod halo doesn't work without going hand in hand with the Apple Stores. If people are buying their iPods from shops that don't stock Macs, their opinions on Macs never change. If they buy an iPod from an Apple Store and see Macs all around doing everything their Windows computer can do and more, they become more open to buying a Mac next time a computer purchase comes round.

Apple need to open more international Stores if they want the worldwide share to increase.

I agree with this statement. It would be interesting to see the percentages in countries that have an Apple Store as opposed to those that don't.

I think another factor could be that a lot of new computers are being bought in China and India which are very cost concious cause the standard of living is still pretty low. I would bet Apple's share in these markets is under 1%.

Doug

 

[technicolor]

Thats because many, many people purchase Apple computers for the same reason they buy designer jeans or luxury cars- they want to be SEEN with it.

You really think anyone would pay more for a luxury car if they couldn't impress others with it?? Any car can get you from A to B, and most do it with an equal level of dependability. It's convincing those with low self esteem to spend more than they have to just to make themselves feel better about themselves that has helped luxury automobiles.....and Apple.

I don't think many on this board bought an Apple for that reason, but there are millions out there that did. And you can find most of them in public attempting to "strut their stuff".

You must have never driven a luxury car?

LMAO

Getting you to the same point is not the purpose, hell a bus can do that ..why dont all of us low self esteem car drivers just get on the darn bus, apple shmapple?! I mean doesnt a bus get you the same places as a car?

What a load of crock.

 

[digitalbiker]

So very true. I am one of those waiting for C2D, but the term has started and I'm still waiting. I am a student developer, and if they wait much longer I will get a Dell. I think about getting the Dell everyday but my heart has been set on the MacBook Pro.

Apple are losing many sales by not offering the cutting edge. Wasn't the point of the Intel switch to have Portable 64-bit offerings that IBM could not deliver with the G5?

In addition to those waiting from the school crowd, there is the christmas buying crowd waiting just around the corner.

I really believe that Apple is going to arrogantly keep to their same slow update cycle despite switching to Intel. This means we probably won't see Core 2 Duo and better GPUs in MacBook /MacBook Pros / mini until MacWorld SF 2007.

Apple really misses the boat by not having up-to-date new product available before the holiday buying season.

 

[technicolor]

In addition to those waiting from the school crowd, there is the christmas buying crowd waiting just around the corner.

I really believe that Apple is going to arrogantly keep to their same slow update cycle despite switching to Intel. This means we probably won't see Core 2 Duo and better GPUs in MacBook /MacBook Pros / mini until MacWorld SF 2007.

Apple really misses the boat by not having up-to-date new product available before the holiday buying season.

Most people do not care or even know what sort of chip or gpu is inside their computers. People here should stop deluding themselves into thinking they are the average consumer and somehow Apple is shooting themselves in the foot by not catering to them.

 

[AidenShaw]

Mac - the Starbucks fashion accessory

Thats because many, many people purchase Apple computers for the same reason they buy designer jeans or luxury cars- they want to be SEEN with it. ... And you can find most of them in public attempting to "strut their stuff".

LOL.

That probably explains the white ear buds as well.

 

[Thanatoast]

Yes, but Apple also needs to keep pace with the introduction of new cpus.

Right now Apple is already falling behind by not bringing the line up-to-date with Core 2 Duo chips and better GPU card offerings.

Also I think the S...L...O...W Finder is really hurting Apple. I am hoping that Leopard addresses the carbon finder and gets it up to speed.

New users click on the windows "Start button" and a menu instantly appears. They scroll over an arrow and a submenu instantly appears. Then they move to an Apple machine. They hold the button down over the documents folder on the dock. (1...2....3...) a menu appears. Then they move up the menu to say a music folder (1....2....3...) and the file list appears.

These are the first impresssions! 99% of people walk away from macs with equivalent cpus to a windows box thinking that it is slow because of Finder.

Why navigate large amounts of poorly-labeled menus and sub-menus when what you need is on the dock?

Even so, I've never clicked on a folder and gone to get a cup of coffee. That only happens on my friends' pc's.

 

[QuarterSwede]

So very true. I am one of those waiting for C2D, but the term has started and I'm still waiting. I am a student developer, and if they wait much longer I will get a Dell. I think about getting the Dell everyday but my heart has been set on the MacBook Pro.

Apple are losing many sales by not offering the cutting edge. Wasn't the point of the Intel switch to have Portable 64-bit offerings that IBM could not deliver with the G5?

You are obviously not trying to switch because of OS X. For me, I couldn't stand Windows or Linux (too complicated to be any good) anymore.

Also, I'm not understanding the slow Finder thing either. When I first click on the Documents folder it pops up after no more than 1/2 second on a PowerBook and after each time thereafter its instant (cached). Have you used one recently? I mean, on a MacBook clicking on Safari on first launch is about as fast as it can get. Click and, as Jobs says, "boom" its there.

 

[swingerofbirch]

I think "Macs are slow" has to do with my belief that Macs last longer and therefore there are lots of old ones sitting around in schools. Think about a Mac that is 5 years old and a PC that is 5 years old. One stays a whole lot more usable than the other!

Also, if people are buying $299-399 budget PCs, yes they will sell more. They will also sell them more often! How long do you think someone will keep a computer that costs $300 versus one that costs $1,000-$1,200?

 

[FF_productions]

I think "Macs are slow" has to do with my belief that Macs last longer and therefore there are lots of old ones sitting around in schools. Think about a Mac that is 5 years old and a PC that is 5 years old. One stays a whole lot more usable than the other!

Yep

My school is filled with eMac G4s. Fastest one you can find in my school is 1.25 ghz. Not only are those machines slow, have no ram, they are also running under a SLOW server. So you can see why nobody likes Mac at my school.

 

[lyzardking]

One can always hope. But when has this ever NOT been true for a Microsoft operating system? Windows 95 ran poorly on computers released when 3.1 was out. Windows XP had compatibility issues with many Win 98 boxes. Etc, etc. This has always been true for them. The only difference now is how long XP has been out without being significantly updated.

Agreed.... but I think to most (at the time) the Mac OS wasn't even considered. Macs were "toys" only used by "artsy" folk

The general view of the Mac has changed alot in ten years.

 

[SMM]

Increased marketshare is good, up to a point. Also, if world marketshare is staying the same, but the US is increasing, somewhere in the world apple is becoming less popular.

There is zero logic to that assertion. It sounds like it came from Fox News.

 

[digitalbiker]

Why navigate large amounts of poorly-labeled menus and sub-menus when what you need is on the dock?

Even so, I've never clicked on a folder and gone to get a cup of coffee. That only happens on my friends' pc's.

My comments were not about the merits of OS X vs Windows.

My principle point is "first impressions on a new user". It is well documented that Finder is extremely slow and posesses a lot of carbon code.

I have a G4 1.67 mhz 2005 PB. If I hold my cursor down on the documents folder of my dock it takes about 2 - 3 seconds before finder responds.

At work I use a P3 800 mhz windows 2000 machine. If I move the mouse over "Start ->My Documents" I get an instant response listing of files.

I have seen new users do the same thing at Fry's electonics, and walk away thinking that the Apple was a much slower computer than the Windows PC.

Apple really needs to re-write and optimize finder. It's slow and it leaves a negative impression of OS X on new users / switchers. Hopefully Leopard will take care of this but I haven't heard that confirmed.

 

[SMM]

I'm becoming sure that however many Macs Apple sells, that market share figure will never climb above the magic 5% limit.

Does saying that make me one of those Mac Zealots I keep hearing about?

Are you going to share your research? I would not say this qualifies you for a mac Zealot. I would think false prophet is closer to the truth.

 

[Cameront9]

Wait a minute...I think I see your problem. Just click once on you document folder and it will open very quickly.
what you are doing is simulating a right click (Click and hold the button down). this will bring up a Start menu-like interface).. I think if you right click this will happen instantly, too.... (or maybe it's option-click...I'm not on my mac at the moment, unfortunately). There is SUPPOSED to be a delay when you click and hold like that.

I've never seen Finder slow... and I'm on the same machine as you are.

(of course I may have completely misread this and be totally wrong, in which case I would ask what apps you have open, how much memory is on the machine, etc.)

My comments were not about the merits of OS X vs Windows.


I have a G4 1.67 mhz 2005 PB. If I hold my cursor down on the documents folder of my dock it takes about 2 - 3 seconds before finder responds.

 

[digitalbiker]

Agreed.... but I think to most (at the time) the Mac OS wasn't even considered. Macs were "toys" only used by "artsy" folk

The general view of the Mac has changed alot in ten years.

I don't know about that! The comment about people perceiving the mac as a "toy" or used by "artsy folk" isn't too far from today's perception of the mac.

Even Apple markets the mac primarily based on the strength of "Home Entertainment", "Fun movies", "music", "photo albums", and "graphic arts".

Business today is still miopicaly tied to Windows for applications and Linux for servers.

Macs are much more prominent with artists, graphics designers, video professionals, and hollywood than they are in the general business population.

 

[scu]

It's interesting how large the magnitude of disconnect between the planned purchase estimates and the actual marketshare is for Macs (e.g.. 17-18% of people planning to buy computers state they will get a Mac, but only 5-7% actually do). In contrast the numbers later for HP seem relatively close to their actual marketshare numbers.

They don't offer an interpretation, but one tempting one is that people who are very strongly considering getting a Mac get dissuaded as they get immediately close to purchase, to a much greater extent than PC buyers.

That is a big issue.

We all want a big house or drive a BMW. But when we look at the numbers we realize we can not afford one or would rather save money and buy something else instead.

 

[Ninja Guidan]

One can always hope. But when has this ever NOT been true for a Microsoft operating system? Windows 95 ran poorly on computers released when 3.1 was out. Windows XP had compatibility issues with many Win 98 boxes. Etc, etc. This has always been true for them. The only difference now is how long XP has been out without being significantly updated.

Yep...and when has a new Windows OS that has issues with older hardware not prevented people from buying/upgrading to a new PC in order to run the new Windows...