Survey Shows Increasing Mac Interest

[whooleytoo]

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

Not really. The world market share (which, presumably, includes the US) is static. Apple's share in the US, has increased. Therefore, the market share in (some) other countries has decreased.

 

[FFTT]

I've always questioned market share figures.

It would be much more accurate to post comparative sales from THIS YEAR
as opposed to overall sales from the past combined.

 

[digitalbiker]

I've always questioned market share figures.

It would be much more accurate to post comparative sales from THIS YEAR
as opposed to overall sales from the past combined.

Market share IS based on the current sales! It has nothing to do with how many people are actually using Macs vs PCs from long past purchases.

It is based soley on the current sales figures for Apple sales vs total computer sales.

 

[ahti]

Not really. The world market share (which, presumably, includes the US) is static. Apple's share in the US, has increased. Therefore, the market share in (some) other countries has decreased.

But that unlikely translates to "less popular", as the original poster expressed it.
It could be, as Gasu E proposed, that there is a very high growth of low-price PC sales in emerging eastern countries.
Also, the numbers given are (probably) not very precise.

 

[Apple Shmapple]

You're making a straw man argument by bringing up the Honda/Acura comparison. That's not what people have been arguing. People have been arguing that there *is* something unique about the Mac product *itself* that isn't tied to the branding or the perceived "prestige".

As I mentioned before, it's like comparing a fully loaded Ford Taurus with an entry level BMW. Driving a Ford Taurus is never going to *feel* like driving a BMW. The handling is going to feel totally different. Believe or not, some car buyers are loyal to a particular brand and are willing to pay more, for reasons that have nothing to do with prestige. I mentioned BMW's handling but it could be something else like: safety (e.g. Volvo, at least in the old days), reliability (e.g. Lexus, consistently top rated by Consumer Reports), comfort/smooth ride (e.g. Mercedes). The point is, you're missing the point if you think a Mac's appeal is only as a status symbol.

I'm not contending that the Macs increasing popularity is solely caused from a perceived "prestige" factor, but that is certainly helping matters. And a trip to your local snooty coffee shop is ground zero for the people who purchase products solely to be seen with them.

Like I said earlier, most of the people here are mac diehards - not fad followers. But I am saying that the majority of the boost Apple is experiencing IS from fad jumpers. Like it or not, it is what it is and it's exactly what Apple marketing wanted to happen.

 

[slffl]

I'm not contending that the Macs increasing popularity is solely caused from a perceived "prestige" factor, but that is certainly helping matters. And a trip to your local snooty coffee shop is ground zero for the people who purchase products solely to be seen with them.

Like I said earlier, most of the people here are mac diehards - not fad followers. But I am saying that the majority of the boost Apple is experiencing IS from fad jumpers. Like it or not, it is what it is and it's exactly what Apple marketing wanted to happen.

Give me a break on the snooty coffee shop. I see as many PCs at coffee shops as I do macs, and why are coffee drinkers 'snooty' to you?

Also, where are you getting this 'switcher' data from?

 

[bimmerkid]

:-d

So thankful that I purchased $100,000 of Apple stock in '96 @ $18.90 a share :-D

 

[bimmerkid]

I'm not contending that the Macs increasing popularity is solely caused from a perceived "prestige" factor, but that is certainly helping matters. And a trip to your local snooty coffee shop is ground zero for the people who purchase products solely to be seen with them.

Like I said earlier, most of the people here are mac diehards - not fad followers. But I am saying that the majority of the boost Apple is experiencing IS from fad jumpers. Like it or not, it is what it is and it's exactly what Apple marketing wanted to happen.

I live in the SF and I know how you feel! I'll walk into starbucks on Union street (Lambos, benzs, bmws, range rovers, and the ast. Martins parked everywhere) and people are just constantly looking at my computer... I'm sorry that my fraternal twin is a mac and I'm really thankful that I would never put up with windows... ever! I'm not a converted I'm a converter... Mac Plus is my brother and my new macbook pro is my brother from another mother named intel . I like the looks of jealousy and I hope people do go out and buy a mac just because of that. I know jobs said the war between Microsoft was over in the '97 Macworld keynote but every die hard mac fan wants to rub bill gates in their own scat. We are better and we are more efficient! I will agree that it is a sad reason to be materialistic and purchase a mac just for stature but it's better them purchasing a mac than a dell :-D