IBM deploying 1,300 Macs per week, Apple users need much less support than PC counterparts

Posted:
in macOS
New light was shed on IBM's deployment of Apple hardware at the annual JAMF Nation User Conference on Wednesday, revealing the 100,000 Mac user milestone expected to be crossed at Big Blue right around the start of the new year.









According to data provided by IBM, and collated by JAMF, IBM has deployed over 90,000 Macs since June 1, 2015. In the same time frame, it also has distributed over 48,000 iPads, and more than 81,000 iPhones to employees.



The entire worldwide macOS and iOS support staff is only 50 employees. While no firm numbers of tech calls were given, 27 percent of the PC tickets generated by employees required a desk-side visit by IT staff, and only 5 percent of the Mac tickets needed personal assistance.



As the Apple deployments continue to increase, the percentage of tickets needed by the Mac using population continues to fall. At the start of the effort, 7.6 percent of 8,758 users needed assistance from tech support. In September, with 85,000 Macs in the field, only 3.2 percent needed help.









The numbers are similar to those reported in 2015 by JAMF and IBM. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook has also noted that IBM saves $270 per Mac in support costs, over support for Windows-based computers.



As part of the deal, IBM continues to deploy 1,300 Macs per week. This puts the company on pace to exceed 100,000 right around the start of 2017.



Apple and IBM forged a deal in July 2014, to promote the use of iOS and IBM-developer apps in enterprise. As part of the new partnership, an extension of IBM's MobileFirst initiative dubbed "IBM MobileFirst for iOS," IBM has developed more than 100 native iOS apps and services tailored to the needs of multiple industries.



IBM's new computer installation work-flow allows for employees to receive a shrink-wrapped, brand new Mac and quickly and easily set it up on their own, without involving IT staff to assist. Apple's Device Enrollment Program and JAMF Software's Casper Suite are utilized in tandem, with installation of and licensing of IT-approved apps, download of documents, and custom configurations being performed automatically.
«13

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 48
    Color me impressed.  I figured the IBM thing wouldn't have legs.  Nice job, Tim and Co.
    anton zuykovjbishop1039kudumagman1979dysamoriaSpamSandwichlostkiwiwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 48
    Finally some real numbers as to the total cost of ownership showing Macs require less support. From IBM no less.
    anton zuykovjbishop1039mdriftmeyermagman1979lolliverdysamoriaSpamSandwichbaconstanglostkiwiwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 48
    Worth considering that the macs are all new, while the thinkpads will all be a few years old so it's not that surprising there is a difference
    singularity
  • Reply 4 of 48
    canukstormcanukstorm Posts: 2,695member
    Great for IBM! Hopefully other companies use this as an inspiration the next time they do their upgrades and are reluctant on moving to Macs in the enterprise.
    lolliverwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 48
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    The irony is palpable. The IBM PC and Microsoft started “revolution” that took over the world. Today IBM is no longer in the PC business and is switching to Macs. It’s almost too much to take in, especially if you were there at the beginning. I went with Apple in 1982 and have never looked back but the IBM PC almost put Apple in the grave if not for the Macintosh.
    loquiturben20schlackanton zuykovjbishop1039randominternetpersonchiamagman1979lolliverwilliamlondon
  • Reply 6 of 48
    tmaytmay Posts: 6,311member
    Worth considering that the macs are all new, while the thinkpads will all be a few years old so it's not that surprising there is a difference
    IBM had a similar study a year ago. You can even find a story here on AI because it's linked in the story above.

    "it's not surprising there is a difference"...

    Well, given the data above, it's not surprising that IBM won't be buying many, if any, PC's in the future either.
    mdriftmeyermagman1979lolliverbaconstangwatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 48
    Worth considering that the macs are all new, while the thinkpads will all be a few years old so it's not that surprising there is a difference

    They showed comparisons between the Lenovo T460 and Lenovo X1 Yoga vs MacBook and MacBook Pro. Those Lenovos are not a few years old. The T460 was launched in Feb 2016.

    So much for your theory.
    schlackmdriftmeyeranantksundaramchiamagman1979lankdorkus maximuslolliverwilliamlondondysamoria
  • Reply 8 of 48
    brucemcbrucemc Posts: 1,541member
    Great hard data on support costs.

    Interested to know if any data comes out regarding user experience / satisfaction.
    lostkiwiwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 48
    Microsoft has no respect for any user's time. I have lost months of my life maintaining poorly implemented OS releases over decades, and my happiest times have been when I can completely avoid Windows. Currently I'm maintaining a 2 in 1 for my son's gaming, but other than that, I am very happy to leave the Microsoft nightmare to others.
    tmaychiamagman1979lolliverdysamoriapscooter63lostkiwiwatto_cobraplanetary paulnolamacguy
  • Reply 10 of 48
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,905member
    Color me impressed.  I figured the IBM thing wouldn't have legs.  Nice job, Tim and Co.
    When IBM decides to do something it does and it will give big boost to MacOS in enterpeise. I know, because I worked their.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 48
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,905member
    IBM does deploy it's software on Windows platform and in past tied closely with Microsoft but with PC/laptop/Intel server gone to Lenovo, IBM is free to do what makes sense for it's own internal development and for it's customers.
    edited October 2016 watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 48
    schlackschlack Posts: 719member
    IBM, Think Different.
    kudu
  • Reply 13 of 48
    Wow, I figured that out 10 years ago.  As a techie, people used to always ask me what to buy, after owning a white macbook, I told everyone to pay a little more and get a macbook, and never have problems with malware and viruses, which was the biggest problem at that time.  So far the only problems I heard is my friends 17" macbook HD crashed, he replaced it with SSD to fix it, that's it.
    magman1979lolliverbaconstanglostkiwiwatto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 48
    danvmdanvm Posts: 1,400member
    Worth considering that the macs are all new, while the thinkpads will all be a few years old so it's not that surprising there is a difference

    They showed comparisons between the Lenovo T460 and Lenovo X1 Yoga vs MacBook and MacBook Pro. Those Lenovos are not a few years old. The T460 was launched in Feb 2016.

    So much for your theory.
    Do you have a link with these details?  Would be nice to read.  
  • Reply 15 of 48
    Wow I guess after 30 years Apple has become "IBM Compatible."   :)
    williamlondonwatto_cobramacky the mackyMacPro
  • Reply 16 of 48
    wood1208 said:
    Color me impressed.  I figured the IBM thing wouldn't have legs.  Nice job, Tim and Co.
    When IBM decides to do something it does and it will give big boost to MacOS in enterpeise. I know, because I worked their.
    One unexpected side effect of the move from Windows to OSX/MacOS is that IBM is planning to or actually releasing more of their Enterpise level software on the Apple OS.
    One dev team leader I know told me that almost 50% of his Dev team are using Apple kit now and many of them are testing the forthcoming MacOS Client release.
    The Apple branch of this product went out of service around 2004. It is nice to know that Apple is getting some love from IBM these days.
    All we need are the servers that can run OSX/MacOS.

    magman1979dick applebaumlolliverpscooter63watto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 48
    robbyxrobbyx Posts: 479member
    sog35 said:
    The business market is ripe for an iOS Desktop


    A10X 
    128 GB Flash
    Keyboard/Mouse 
    $299

    256 GB Flash $349
    512 GB Flash $399





    Ageeed, except for the mouse.  iOS is touch. I don't think that should change.  When it comes to tech support in my family, my mom never has problems with her iPad, but somehow always manages to have difficulties with her Mac. Despite years of Mac ownership, she still struggles with the basics, yet the iPad is extremely intuitive for her and she rarely ever has a question for me.

    An iOS desktop would more than satisfy the needs of 75%+ of computer users, would be cheaper, require far less support, etc. I think it's only a matter of time before it happens.  My guess is, they can't make touch screens big enough yet for a desktop machine (21"+). 
    edited October 2016
  • Reply 18 of 48
    canukstormcanukstorm Posts: 2,695member
    robbyx said:
    sog35 said:
    The business market is ripe for an iOS Desktop


    A10X 
    128 GB Flash
    Keyboard/Mouse 
    $299

    256 GB Flash $349
    512 GB Flash $399





    Ageeed, except for the mouse.  iOS is touch. I don't think that should change.  When it comes to tech support in my family, my mom never has problems with her iPad, but somehow always manages to have difficulties with her Mac. Despite years of Mac ownership, she still struggles with the basics, yet the iPad is extremely intuitive for her and she rarely ever has a question for me.

    An iOS desktop would more than satisfy the needs of 75%+ of computer users, would be cheaper, require far less support, etc. I think it's only a matter of time before it happens. 
    Agreed. Apple has definitely been researching this and has a patent granted related to this:

    http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2010/08/the-mother-lode-welcome-to-the-imac-touch.html
  • Reply 19 of 48
    geekmeegeekmee Posts: 629member
    Looks the PC is about take a place next to the mainframe.
    brakken
  • Reply 20 of 48
    canukstormcanukstorm Posts: 2,695member
    sog35 said:
    robbyx said:
    sog35 said:
    The business market is ripe for an iOS Desktop


    A10X 
    128 GB Flash
    Keyboard/Mouse 
    $299

    256 GB Flash $349
    512 GB Flash $399





    Ageeed, except for the mouse.  iOS is touch. I don't think that should change.  When it comes to tech support in my family, my mom never has problems with her iPad, but somehow always manages to have difficulties with her Mac. Despite years of Mac ownership, she still struggles with the basics, yet the iPad is extremely intuitive for her and she rarely ever has a question for me.

    An iOS desktop would more than satisfy the needs of 75%+ of computer users, would be cheaper, require far less support, etc. I think it's only a matter of time before it happens. 
    Only problem is touch is expensive. I don't think Apple can sell an iOS desktop with a touch screen for $299.

    $299 would only be for the desktop with no screen.
    I don't see Apple making a $299 desktop for the same reason they didn't enter the $299 netbook market. It's not in their DNA
    singularitymagman1979lolliverwilliamlondonrobbyxpscooter63baconstangwatto_cobra
Sign In or Register to comment.