Not sure if this is in the right section. Mods, feel free to move at your discretion.
There are many views on what the future of OS X will be. The goal of this thread is to contrast the two opinions, and then deduce what path Apple will likely take in the coming years.
There are three groups of users: Professionals, users who know their way around a computer, and basic, home users. In the past, Apple has catered to the first two groups. While doing this, they also add little features that provide a gateway for the third group into the Mac world. Recently, however, Apple has begun to start aiming their products at the third group. With the introduction of the iPad, people wouldn't need to get a laptop. They could just have something simple, intuitive, and all around easy to use.
However, Apple has always been known to focus on one or two things. With branches reaching into the consumer market some of the higher end products are starting to suffer. For example, the computers geared towards professionals and knowledgable users are being updated MUCH less frequently than those that novice users would be more likely to buy. And they are buying, as this chart illustrates
(Macrumors, January 24 2012)
As a whole, iOS devices are making over 7 times what Apple is making off of their Mac sales. Novice users make up about 85% of the iPad market*, about 45% of the iPhone market* (Which isn't really affected by this article, disregard it), and about 60% of the Mac market.
*These figures are averages, and do not take into account people who use an iPad for presentations, etc.
If we take all of this into account, serious users and professionals account for about
5.6% or about 1/17th of Apple's entire market.
If Apple 'dumbs down' their computer lineup, more novice users will buy computers, and more money for the company.
Although professional users buy more expensive equipment, there are so many novice users that the sheer number of purchases dwarfs the income from a professional market. And discontinuing low-sales professional models would cut costs. (This has already been done with the Xserve!) Therefore Apple will make more money and more novice users will buy. Professionals will then switch to Windows, Linux, or Solaris.
However, we have to look at the marketing trends here. We've got to realize that Microsoft and other PC companies copy EVERYTHING Apple does. For example:
(microsoft.com/hardware/en-us/p/touch-mouse)
The "Microsoft Touch Mouse" is basically a magic mouse with a plasticey surface and a Windows badge glued onto it. This happens with pretty much everything Apple does, from the iPad (Galaxy Tab) to the MBA (Ultrabooks). If Apple scraps the traditional operating system and goes to a more novice-friendly setup, then Microsoft will follow suit. Linux will likely do the same thing to increase compatibility. That only leaves Solaris for professional users. And quite honestly, THIS
(Sun Microsystems server rack)
is not what most users would want for a computer. We need to put our foot down! If this trend continues all professionals and serious users will be standing at a hot rack typing on a KVM (I already do, but that's a whole other story
)
In my opinion, Apple is disregarding it's professional users. I understand this. I own a tech manufacturing business and produce products that follow recent trends in technology. We need to cater to the demographic that can make us the most money. However, without a service that allows them to harness their potential, artists and professionals won't be able to produce their best work. My company has already prepared for OS X to go under, and have started purchasing thin clients and Solaris racks for our business. I for one don't want to go down this road, but we might not have a choice in the future.
It's kind of hard to edit and publish an amazing photograph standing in a server room.
Thanks for reading, and sorry about the wall of text. Just getting this out there because it is a VERY important issue, and needs to be brought to light. If we can convince Apple that pros and knowledgable users are still an important part of its user base, we might be able to stop this from happening.
Thank you,
2
I hope I don't need to change my sig to :SOLARIS_SUN:2
There are many views on what the future of OS X will be. The goal of this thread is to contrast the two opinions, and then deduce what path Apple will likely take in the coming years.
There are three groups of users: Professionals, users who know their way around a computer, and basic, home users. In the past, Apple has catered to the first two groups. While doing this, they also add little features that provide a gateway for the third group into the Mac world. Recently, however, Apple has begun to start aiming their products at the third group. With the introduction of the iPad, people wouldn't need to get a laptop. They could just have something simple, intuitive, and all around easy to use.
However, Apple has always been known to focus on one or two things. With branches reaching into the consumer market some of the higher end products are starting to suffer. For example, the computers geared towards professionals and knowledgable users are being updated MUCH less frequently than those that novice users would be more likely to buy. And they are buying, as this chart illustrates
(Macrumors, January 24 2012)
As a whole, iOS devices are making over 7 times what Apple is making off of their Mac sales. Novice users make up about 85% of the iPad market*, about 45% of the iPhone market* (Which isn't really affected by this article, disregard it), and about 60% of the Mac market.
*These figures are averages, and do not take into account people who use an iPad for presentations, etc.
If we take all of this into account, serious users and professionals account for about
5.6% or about 1/17th of Apple's entire market.
If Apple 'dumbs down' their computer lineup, more novice users will buy computers, and more money for the company.
Although professional users buy more expensive equipment, there are so many novice users that the sheer number of purchases dwarfs the income from a professional market. And discontinuing low-sales professional models would cut costs. (This has already been done with the Xserve!) Therefore Apple will make more money and more novice users will buy. Professionals will then switch to Windows, Linux, or Solaris.
However, we have to look at the marketing trends here. We've got to realize that Microsoft and other PC companies copy EVERYTHING Apple does. For example:
(microsoft.com/hardware/en-us/p/touch-mouse)
The "Microsoft Touch Mouse" is basically a magic mouse with a plasticey surface and a Windows badge glued onto it. This happens with pretty much everything Apple does, from the iPad (Galaxy Tab) to the MBA (Ultrabooks). If Apple scraps the traditional operating system and goes to a more novice-friendly setup, then Microsoft will follow suit. Linux will likely do the same thing to increase compatibility. That only leaves Solaris for professional users. And quite honestly, THIS
(Sun Microsystems server rack)
is not what most users would want for a computer. We need to put our foot down! If this trend continues all professionals and serious users will be standing at a hot rack typing on a KVM (I already do, but that's a whole other story
)In my opinion, Apple is disregarding it's professional users. I understand this. I own a tech manufacturing business and produce products that follow recent trends in technology. We need to cater to the demographic that can make us the most money. However, without a service that allows them to harness their potential, artists and professionals won't be able to produce their best work. My company has already prepared for OS X to go under, and have started purchasing thin clients and Solaris racks for our business. I for one don't want to go down this road, but we might not have a choice in the future.
It's kind of hard to edit and publish an amazing photograph standing in a server room.
Thanks for reading, and sorry about the wall of text. Just getting this out there because it is a VERY important issue, and needs to be brought to light. If we can convince Apple that pros and knowledgable users are still an important part of its user base, we might be able to stop this from happening.
Thank you,
2I hope I don't need to change my sig to :SOLARIS_SUN:2
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