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Will Apple Stores sell Windows XP/Vista?

princealfie

princealfie

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Mar 7, 2006
2,517
1
Salt Lake City UT
Now that we have Bootcamp is around, will we begin to see Windows XP/Vista on the shelves of our Apple Store?

Wow, that's just freaky :eek: I know that Apple Stores sell third-party software but that's just... :mad:
 
No, I very highly doubt they'll begin selling Windows XP. Boot camp is just an option for those people that need Windows too - it's a ploy to sell more macs.
 
i don't see that happening, then they might have to actually provide support for Windows, which is something that Apple wants to stay far, far, away from. Boot Camp is merely providing the tools for someone who is so inclined to install Windows without worrying about them breaking their machines and coming back crying to apple about it, and to lure in more switchers too.
 
I guessing they do, eventually, begin selling retail editions of Windows at Apple Stores. Remember folks, Apple is rolling the dual-boot feature into 10.5. It'd be kind of dumb for Apple to be telling their customers that they can run Windows on their Macs, but that they can't buy a copy of Windows at an Apple Store.
 
I think Apple will eventually sell boxed copies of Windows on their shelves. Since they've gone far enough to create Boot Camp, why not take it to the next logical step and offer a copy of Windows to their customers? I think a more interesting question is: will Apple ever sell Macs with both Mac OS and Windows preinstalled?
 
This is a rather awkward situation. I think that if they start to support Windows too much, they'd be acknowledging its advantage (if any) over OS X.

However, if they'd preinstall both, Macs would sell more I guess. Which is a good thing, isn't it?
 
GimmeSlack12 said:
Absolutely not.

They have made it very clear that they will not support anything to do with Windows.
Click to expand...

How can selling it not be supporting it?
Because I think Windows sales in Apple stores will not make huge revenues.
 
GimmeSlack12 said:
Absolutely not.

They have made it very clear that they will not support anything to do with Windows.
Click to expand...

Except running it.

They'll probably keep it behind the counter or something to avoid embarrasment.
 
Palli said:
However, if they'd preinstall both, Macs would sell more I guess. Which is a good thing, isn't it?
Click to expand...

No. If they preinstall it, users would expect Apple to support it when something goes wrong.
 
yg17 said:
No. If they preinstall it, users would expect Apple to support it when something goes wrong.
Click to expand...

Even more importantly, if they pre-installed it, Apple would become a Microsoft OEM, and we don't want that.
 
2nyRiggz said:
I don't think you will see anything windows in the apple store anytime soon
Click to expand...


Agreed. Apple probably doesn't like selling Office and VPC in the Apple Stores but they know they have to since them and CompUSA are the only retail stores I can think of that carry it. Everyone sells Windows though, Wal-Mart and Target included, so it's not like its tough to find.
 
calebjohnston said:
No, I very highly doubt they'll begin selling Windows XP. Boot camp is just an option for those people that need Windows too - it's a ploy to sell more macs.
Click to expand...

I'm sure they will! people will go into the apple store, the staff will talk about being able to run windows on there, the customer who has not knowledge will ask, do you sell windows xp, the staff won't say no, if they have been trying to sell it.

I also think that from the apple store you will be able to order a new mac with windows vista preinstalled along with mac osx.
 
you can buy microsoft office for mac in the apple stores i have seen, but i don't know if all apple stores sell office

so why not windows?

i did see a mini apple store and they only had a few books, some apple software, but no microsoft stuff, a ton of ipod stuff, and maybe ten computers on display...it was, in essence, the ipod store which sold some non ipod stuff ;)
 
yg17 said:
They're selling their biggest competitor's products.
Click to expand...

That's a moot point. Firstly, a Mac is a requirement for any of these products, so these products aren't exactly stealing any potential business away from Apple. And secondly, Apple is sensitive to the needs of its customers, and many of its customers need or want to use Office, Windows or other Microsoft products on their Macs. Why wouldn't Apple take every opportunity to offer its customers what they want?
 
I don't think they'll be selling it anytime soon, not until Leopard is released if they do. But you can already get WinXP in any computer store.
 
RBMaraman said:
From the Apple Boot Camp webpage (http://www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp/):

"Boot Camp lets you install Windows XP without moving your Mac data, though you will need to bring your own copy to the table, as Apple Computer does not sell or support Microsoft Windows."

So, no Windows in Apple Stores. Case closed.
Click to expand...

Hardly. This case isn't closed, in fact it's barely opened. Boot Camp is only a beta version of a feature that will be integrated into OSX 10.5. If Apple is serious about selling Windows compatibility as a feature of Mac hardware, and it appears they are, then selling retail copies of Windows is a virtual inevitability.
 
Palli said:
How can selling it not be supporting it?
Because I think Windows sales in Apple stores will not make huge revenues.
Click to expand...
I said they would not sell it, and will probably never sell it.

Ok, Microsoft is understood to be the maker of Windows, so a person does not have to directed to the Apple Store to get Windows. It has to be understood that Windows is everywhere, it does not need to be sold by the Apple Store.
 
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