Citing preliminary data from market research firm IDC, an analyst for PiperJaffray said Thursday that Apple's share of the personal computer market fell to 2.4 percent during the three-month period ending December, down from a 2.8 percent share two quarters earlier.
Most of the other rest of the market has nothing to do with Apple's target market so why include it! They don't have $500 notebooks for students/people-who-just-want-to-surf-the-web-and-email, they don't provide MS-Office workstations for corporates, they make excellent consumer-media creation & management systems and that's what I'm after. What are the gains in this sector?
Relevant market figures only please!
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
"While Apple gained share year-over-year (from 2.1 percent to 2.4 percent), it lost share sequentially," analyst Gene Munster wrote in a note to clients. "Mac market share is generally higher in September quarters, due to strong education-related sales."
Sadly this is likely to be true and shows how dependant Apple is on one market segment. One day they'll be so strong in other areas so the realease of a piece of software won't dictate sales so wholly.
Some of the most significant percentage gains were actually in 2005/6 before and just after the Intel Switch was announced when Apple were still selling PPC hardware. I don't think most people actually care what CPU is in their computer.
Q3 2005, Q4 2005 and Q1 2006 were actually higher than Q2 2006 (ie. Spring last year) despite the first Intels not being released till Q2 2006. Back then the G5 was still up there with the best from Intel and G4 laptops were kind of ok against Pentium Ms. Sure, we'd be in trouble now if Apple hadn't switched most likely since there's been no new PPC chips that compete with Intel Core but back then it was roughly 'mano y mano'.
People were already switching in droves a long time before they could run Windows on the Mac and a long time before we got rid of those apparently 'slow PowerPCs'. Personally I think the growth is more to do with dissatisfaction with Windows (old, viruses, malware, no shiny) than Mac hardware. In 2005 people just got fed up and finally sought out something else.
That gives me pause for thought in 2007 now that Vista is finally coming out but I think Apple will still show great growth as they've got momentum now. Vista upgrades are going to be hell for some people to the point that they may just think about getting a whole new PC instead and some will be thinking they may as well go Mac instead of getting poked by the pointy Microsoft stick again.
In terms of successive quarters, precentage-wise and ranked largest to smallest; [1st] 05Q1 (25%), [2nd] 06Q4 (21%), [3rd] 06Q3 (19%), [4th] 04Q3 (17%), and [5th] 05Q3 (10%), Note that in 04/05 all subesequent/previous quarters were essentially flat. Note also that [5th] 05Q3 (10%) bump followed the Intel announcement, the other two 04/05 quarters were significantly prior to the Intel announcement. I would speculate that the post-Intel 10% bump was due to no G5 lappy and uncertainty about the Intel transition, basically the PPC's last hurrah.
But clearly Apple has done extremely well the last 3 years, and there are many factors causing the flat 05Q1, I just happen to think the primary reason was the timing of the Intel switch (and it's attributes). That is all.
Some of the most significant percentage gains were actually in 2005/6 before and just after the Intel Switch was announced when Apple were still selling PPC hardware. I don't think most people actually care what CPU is in their computer.
I don't think the informed do but the average consumer may still get caught up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by aegisdesign
That gives me pause for thought in 2007 now that Vista is finally coming out but I think Apple will still show great growth as they've got momentum now. Vista upgrades are going to be hell for some people to the point that they may just think about getting a whole new PC instead and some will be thinking they may as well go Mac instead of getting poked by the pointy Microsoft stick again.
If Apple comes up with a cute campaign to explain that this years Windows upgrade only draws level (?) with Tiger of the year before last! If 10.5's boot camp is Vista compatible & the costs are right maybe; (white text top half of screen)"Your best Windows Vista PC upgrade" - fade in Apple logo on lower half. Hmmm, maybe leave it to the marketing types?
More people would buy Macs if they were actually give more choices than the handful of models on the market now.
Say you're not a power user (mainly email, iTunes, movies, etc) and you want a laptop with a large screen. You're out of luck, because your only choice is the the MPB starting at $2000 for a 15", and almost $3000 for a 17". Meanwhile 17" Dell laptops can be had for around $1000, maybe less.
As for desktops, I really wanted to buy a Mac to replace my aging P4 PC. But when Apple announced the Mac Pros, they offered no single socket configurations. My budget was around $1500 so the MP was out of the question. If you want a headless Mac, your only options are the low end or the extreme high end. I built my own
Conroe PC which is working out great. Windows sucks in a lot of ways, but its very configurable, so many of its worst offenses (like the Fisher Price UI, notification bubbles) can be fixed. And if you have a hardware firewall and know what you're doing, viruses are easy to avoid.
I think Apple is less concerned about market share than maintaining very high margins on their existing lines. If offered a larger variety of models, their margins would go down.
More people would buy Macs if they were actually give more choices than the handful of models on the market now.
Say you're not a power user (mainly email, iTunes, movies, etc) and you want a laptop with a large screen. You're out of luck, because your only choice is the the MPB starting at $2000 for a 15", and almost $3000 for a 17". Meanwhile 17" Dell laptops can be had for around $1000, maybe less.
As for desktops, I really wanted to buy a Mac to replace my aging P4 PC. But when Apple announced the Mac Pros, they offered no single socket configurations. My budget was around $1500 so the MP was out of the question. If you want a headless Mac, your only options are the low end or the extreme high end. I built my own
Conroe PC which is working out great. Windows sucks in a lot of ways, but its very configurable, so many of its worst offenses (like the Fisher Price UI, notification bubbles) can be fixed. And if you have a hardware firewall and know what you're doing, viruses are easy to avoid.
I think Apple is less concerned about market share than maintaining very high margins on their existing lines. If offered a larger variety of models, their margins would go down.
Apple, er, Jobs, is very strange about making decisions. There are time when he is willing to take chances, and times when he is not.
One of the few times where people on this site and the general public, as well as business, have interests which coincide is in the idea of a mid height, mid price tower.
Would it cannibalize some iMac sales? Probably. So what?
The great likelihood is that the total sales of both iMacs, and the mid towers, would increase Apple's sales much beyond the cannibalized units.
Jobs seems to be afraid of the criticism of Apple back in the '90's when they were accused of having too many lines of machines.
That may have been true when Apple was failing to grow, or even contracting, but not now when it is finding customers in places they didn't have them before.
Apple, er, Jobs, is very strange about making decisions. There are time when he is willing to take chances, and times when he is not.
One of the few times where people on this site and the general public, as well as business, have interests which coincide is in the idea of a mid height, mid price tower.
Would it cannibalize some iMac sales? Probably. So what?
The great likelihood is that the total sales of both iMacs, and the mid towers, would increase Apple's sales much beyond the cannibalized units.
Jobs seems to be afraid of the criticism of Apple back in the '90's when they were accused of having too many lines of machines.
That may have been true when Apple was failing to grow, or even contracting, but not now when it is finding customers in places they didn't have them before.
But, we've talked this out so many times now...
Apple under Jobs has two main negative qualities. First, they have shown a willingness to loose the war it means winning the battle. Second, while Apple kinda exists within their own reality, they are very conservative within the mindset. They are unwilling to expand and try other things. Booth of those require the user to come to Apple.
Apple, er, Jobs, is very strange about making decisions. There are time when he is willing to take chances, and times when he is not.
One of the few times where people on this site and the general public, as well as business, have interests which coincide is in the idea of a mid height, mid price tower.
See Mac Cube.
I'd love a modern Mac Cube personally but I'm guessing Jobs is done with the idea. I get the impression he always likes to show off with new ideas so revisiting the old ones that weren't so successful again aren't something he'll do.
And of course, that's not what the mid-tower complainers want. They just want a cheap MacPro and are too cheap to put the cash down. At the same time, the prospect that a shiny white consumer product like an iMac might quite possibly do more than they need doesn't seem to register in their conservative grey matter.
I'd love a modern Mac Cube personally but I'm guessing Jobs is done with the idea. I get the impression he always likes to show off with new ideas so revisiting the old ones that weren't so successful again aren't something he'll do.
And of course, that's not what the mid-tower complainers want. They just want a cheap MacPro and are too cheap to put the cash down. At the same time, the prospect that a shiny white consumer product like an iMac might quite possibly do more than they need doesn't seem to register in their conservative grey matter.
Too cheap? Exactly how many other companies make you buy a professional workstation if you want a tower? Yes there is a difference between the two other than Semantics.
Too cheap? Exactly how many other companies make you buy a professional workstation if you want a tower? Yes there is a difference between the two other than Semantics.
And of course, that's not what the mid-tower complainers want. They just want a cheap MacPro and are too cheap to put the cash down.
Damn it aegis! What is it with these trollish statements that non-"xMac advocates" have to keep on coming out with? Go read the "isn't it time for a plain old Macintosh?" thread, and you will discover that your statement is deeply inaccurate.
Damn it aegis! What is it with these trollish statements that non-"xMac advocates" have to keep on coming out with? Go read the "isn't it time for a plain old Macintosh?" thread, and you will discover that your statement is deeply inaccurate.
Do I have to?
7 pages of cheap asses complaining that Apple doesn't make something just like their dear old PC they cobbled together from parts and misinformed statements like Apple's desktop sales are in decline when it's patently not true.
7 pages of cheap asses complaining that Apple doesn't make something just like their dear old PC they cobbled together from parts
Clearly, yes you do because you've made no effort at all to understand the argument. You really are just being a troll on this issue. The thread is actually 36 pages long, not 7, and is absolutely not a "cheap-ass whiners" thread.
Quote:
Originally Posted by aegisdesign
misinformed statements like Apple's desktop sales are in decline when it's patently not true.
Their share of the desktop market is in steep decline. Whislt their share of the portable market continues to increase. How long does this situation need to continue before people realise that perhaps that means there is something wrong with Apple's desktop line-up?
. . . 7 pages of cheap asses complaining that Apple doesn't make something just like their dear old PC . . .
Not so. Most complain because they are not able to buy what they really want from Apple. Mac desktops are fine if you like an AIO or the tiniest computer made. Niche markets. I revived the thread because these issues just don't go away, and will not go away as long as Apple ignores what so many of their users really want.
It's not hurting me, BTW. I buy all my Macs on eBay and will pick up a Mac Pro when the price is way down. I don't need the latest and greatest. If Apple does not want my money today for a mini tower, someone on eBay will get it in a couple years for a Mac Pro.
Quote:
. . . misinformed statements like Apple's desktop sales are in decline when it's patently not true.
Units sold may not be declining, but market share is, as Mr. H points out.
Say you're not a power user (mainly email, iTunes, movies, etc) and you want a laptop with a large screen. You're out of luck, because your only choice is the the MPB starting at $2000 for a 15", and almost $3000 for a 17". Meanwhile 17" Dell laptops can be had for around $1000, maybe less.
I can agree that Apple should sell a mid tower. I don't agree that Apple should follow much of anything Dell is doing.
Quote:
Units sold may not be declining, but market share is, as Mr. H points out.
Its not only Apple the entire PC industry is in a sales decline.
Clearly, yes you do because you've made no effort at all to understand the argument. You really are just being a troll on this issue. The thread is actually 36 pages long, not 7, and is absolutely not a "cheap-ass whiners" thread.
ok, 36 pages. I missed the other 29 pages that didn't show up on the forum software that said 1 2 3 4 5 6 7...Last and presumed 'last' was 7.
Really, I've got much better things to do than go over and over the same arguments that have gone on since time began. The one that goes... Apple don't make 'insert product', therefore I'll not buy 'insert other product that would probably be just perfect if they weren't so particular or cheap'.
I understand where the cheap-asses are coming from and it's a perfectly valid position to be in, after all Dell can make cheaper computers and look at how popular they are, but they go on and on and on about Apple not giving them what they want instead of working out what they actually NEED. Like spoilt children for the most part.
Apple don't make computers for every sector of the computing world and don't necessarily want to. They do like making profits and having good margins. That means certain sectors just aren't worth competing in. They also like making products that are different to the mainstream. Call that irrational but it is after all, their business. They aren't run by guys on forums!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. H
Their share of the desktop market is in steep decline. Whislt their share of the portable market continues to increase. How long does this situation need to continue before people realise that perhaps that means there is something wrong with Apple's desktop line-up?
Oh god, a market share devotee. Yes, you're of course absolutely right. Apple's continuing growth in selling desktops when almost everybody else is selling less is deeply worrying. I'm extremely concerned that at a time Dell sold 17% more laptops and 5% LESS desktops, Apple only managed to improve it's laptop sales by a paltry 24% and it's desktop sales by a totally miserable 18%. How crap are they?
How odd that you don't get it despite saying that in response to a comment that was trying to spell it out quite clearly:
We are not talking about a decline in units sold/shipped. We are talking about a decline in market share.
It's not true though despite you saying it again. Almost every major PC manufacturer is showing negative growth in desktops with the exception of Apple and a few others. That's pretty much because many users have switched from desktops to laptops now that laptops are really cheap and not really any slower than full desktops. You can buy a lot of laptop for sub-$1000 now.
Apple are currently growing in desktop market share and in laptop share ahead of their competitors and ahead of the entire market so let's just stop the market share in decline myths now eh?
Apple are currently growing in desktop market share . . .
Read this.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
Apple dropped slightly to fifth place in rankings of US computer sales during the fourth quarter of 2006, according to preliminary Gartner data obtained by AppleInsider.
The Mac maker fell a full percentage point to 5.1 percent of the domestic market between the third and fourth quarters of the year . . .
Comments
Citing preliminary data from market research firm IDC, an analyst for PiperJaffray said Thursday that Apple's share of the personal computer market fell to 2.4 percent during the three-month period ending December, down from a 2.8 percent share two quarters earlier.
Most of the other rest of the market has nothing to do with Apple's target market so why include it! They don't have $500 notebooks for students/people-who-just-want-to-surf-the-web-and-email, they don't provide MS-Office workstations for corporates, they make excellent consumer-media creation & management systems and that's what I'm after. What are the gains in this sector?
Relevant market figures only please!
"While Apple gained share year-over-year (from 2.1 percent to 2.4 percent), it lost share sequentially," analyst Gene Munster wrote in a note to clients. "Mac market share is generally higher in September quarters, due to strong education-related sales."
Sadly this is likely to be true and shows how dependant Apple is on one market segment. One day they'll be so strong in other areas so the realease of a piece of software won't dictate sales so wholly.
Some of the most significant percentage gains were actually in 2005/6 before and just after the Intel Switch was announced when Apple were still selling PPC hardware. I don't think most people actually care what CPU is in their computer.
Q3 2005, Q4 2005 and Q1 2006 were actually higher than Q2 2006 (ie. Spring last year) despite the first Intels not being released till Q2 2006. Back then the G5 was still up there with the best from Intel and G4 laptops were kind of ok against Pentium Ms. Sure, we'd be in trouble now if Apple hadn't switched most likely since there's been no new PPC chips that compete with Intel Core but back then it was roughly 'mano y mano'.
People were already switching in droves a long time before they could run Windows on the Mac and a long time before we got rid of those apparently 'slow PowerPCs'. Personally I think the growth is more to do with dissatisfaction with Windows (old, viruses, malware, no shiny) than Mac hardware. In 2005 people just got fed up and finally sought out something else.
That gives me pause for thought in 2007 now that Vista is finally coming out but I think Apple will still show great growth as they've got momentum now. Vista upgrades are going to be hell for some people to the point that they may just think about getting a whole new PC instead and some will be thinking they may as well go Mac instead of getting poked by the pointy Microsoft stick again.
In terms of successive quarters, precentage-wise and ranked largest to smallest; [1st] 05Q1 (25%), [2nd] 06Q4 (21%), [3rd] 06Q3 (19%), [4th] 04Q3 (17%), and [5th] 05Q3 (10%), Note that in 04/05 all subesequent/previous quarters were essentially flat. Note also that [5th] 05Q3 (10%) bump followed the Intel announcement, the other two 04/05 quarters were significantly prior to the Intel announcement. I would speculate that the post-Intel 10% bump was due to no G5 lappy and uncertainty about the Intel transition, basically the PPC's last hurrah.
But clearly Apple has done extremely well the last 3 years, and there are many factors causing the flat 05Q1, I just happen to think the primary reason was the timing of the Intel switch (and it's attributes). That is all.
Some of the most significant percentage gains were actually in 2005/6 before and just after the Intel Switch was announced when Apple were still selling PPC hardware. I don't think most people actually care what CPU is in their computer.
I don't think the informed do but the average consumer may still get caught up.
That gives me pause for thought in 2007 now that Vista is finally coming out but I think Apple will still show great growth as they've got momentum now. Vista upgrades are going to be hell for some people to the point that they may just think about getting a whole new PC instead and some will be thinking they may as well go Mac instead of getting poked by the pointy Microsoft stick again.
If Apple comes up with a cute campaign to explain that this years Windows upgrade only draws level (?) with Tiger of the year before last! If 10.5's boot camp is Vista compatible & the costs are right maybe; (white text top half of screen)"Your best Windows Vista PC upgrade" - fade in Apple logo on lower half. Hmmm, maybe leave it to the marketing types?
Say you're not a power user (mainly email, iTunes, movies, etc) and you want a laptop with a large screen. You're out of luck, because your only choice is the the MPB starting at $2000 for a 15", and almost $3000 for a 17". Meanwhile 17" Dell laptops can be had for around $1000, maybe less.
As for desktops, I really wanted to buy a Mac to replace my aging P4 PC. But when Apple announced the Mac Pros, they offered no single socket configurations. My budget was around $1500 so the MP was out of the question. If you want a headless Mac, your only options are the low end or the extreme high end. I built my own
Conroe PC which is working out great. Windows sucks in a lot of ways, but its very configurable, so many of its worst offenses (like the Fisher Price UI, notification bubbles) can be fixed. And if you have a hardware firewall and know what you're doing, viruses are easy to avoid.
I think Apple is less concerned about market share than maintaining very high margins on their existing lines. If offered a larger variety of models, their margins would go down.
More people would buy Macs if they were actually give more choices than the handful of models on the market now.
Say you're not a power user (mainly email, iTunes, movies, etc) and you want a laptop with a large screen. You're out of luck, because your only choice is the the MPB starting at $2000 for a 15", and almost $3000 for a 17". Meanwhile 17" Dell laptops can be had for around $1000, maybe less.
As for desktops, I really wanted to buy a Mac to replace my aging P4 PC. But when Apple announced the Mac Pros, they offered no single socket configurations. My budget was around $1500 so the MP was out of the question. If you want a headless Mac, your only options are the low end or the extreme high end. I built my own
Conroe PC which is working out great. Windows sucks in a lot of ways, but its very configurable, so many of its worst offenses (like the Fisher Price UI, notification bubbles) can be fixed. And if you have a hardware firewall and know what you're doing, viruses are easy to avoid.
I think Apple is less concerned about market share than maintaining very high margins on their existing lines. If offered a larger variety of models, their margins would go down.
Apple, er, Jobs, is very strange about making decisions. There are time when he is willing to take chances, and times when he is not.
One of the few times where people on this site and the general public, as well as business, have interests which coincide is in the idea of a mid height, mid price tower.
Would it cannibalize some iMac sales? Probably. So what?
The great likelihood is that the total sales of both iMacs, and the mid towers, would increase Apple's sales much beyond the cannibalized units.
Jobs seems to be afraid of the criticism of Apple back in the '90's when they were accused of having too many lines of machines.
That may have been true when Apple was failing to grow, or even contracting, but not now when it is finding customers in places they didn't have them before.
But, we've talked this out so many times now...
Apple, er, Jobs, is very strange about making decisions. There are time when he is willing to take chances, and times when he is not.
One of the few times where people on this site and the general public, as well as business, have interests which coincide is in the idea of a mid height, mid price tower.
Would it cannibalize some iMac sales? Probably. So what?
The great likelihood is that the total sales of both iMacs, and the mid towers, would increase Apple's sales much beyond the cannibalized units.
Jobs seems to be afraid of the criticism of Apple back in the '90's when they were accused of having too many lines of machines.
That may have been true when Apple was failing to grow, or even contracting, but not now when it is finding customers in places they didn't have them before.
But, we've talked this out so many times now...
Apple under Jobs has two main negative qualities. First, they have shown a willingness to loose the war it means winning the battle. Second, while Apple kinda exists within their own reality, they are very conservative within the mindset. They are unwilling to expand and try other things. Booth of those require the user to come to Apple.
Apple, er, Jobs, is very strange about making decisions. There are time when he is willing to take chances, and times when he is not.
One of the few times where people on this site and the general public, as well as business, have interests which coincide is in the idea of a mid height, mid price tower.
See Mac Cube.
I'd love a modern Mac Cube personally but I'm guessing Jobs is done with the idea. I get the impression he always likes to show off with new ideas so revisiting the old ones that weren't so successful again aren't something he'll do.
And of course, that's not what the mid-tower complainers want. They just want a cheap MacPro and are too cheap to put the cash down. At the same time, the prospect that a shiny white consumer product like an iMac might quite possibly do more than they need doesn't seem to register in their conservative grey matter.
See Mac Cube.
I'd love a modern Mac Cube personally but I'm guessing Jobs is done with the idea. I get the impression he always likes to show off with new ideas so revisiting the old ones that weren't so successful again aren't something he'll do.
And of course, that's not what the mid-tower complainers want. They just want a cheap MacPro and are too cheap to put the cash down. At the same time, the prospect that a shiny white consumer product like an iMac might quite possibly do more than they need doesn't seem to register in their conservative grey matter.
Too cheap? Exactly how many other companies make you buy a professional workstation if you want a tower? Yes there is a difference between the two other than Semantics.
Too cheap? Exactly how many other companies make you buy a professional workstation if you want a tower? Yes there is a difference between the two other than Semantics.
Why do you need a Tower ?
And of course, that's not what the mid-tower complainers want. They just want a cheap MacPro and are too cheap to put the cash down.
Damn it aegis! What is it with these trollish statements that non-"xMac advocates" have to keep on coming out with? Go read the "isn't it time for a plain old Macintosh?" thread, and you will discover that your statement is deeply inaccurate.
Damn it aegis! What is it with these trollish statements that non-"xMac advocates" have to keep on coming out with? Go read the "isn't it time for a plain old Macintosh?" thread, and you will discover that your statement is deeply inaccurate.
Do I have to?
7 pages of cheap asses complaining that Apple doesn't make something just like their dear old PC they cobbled together from parts and misinformed statements like Apple's desktop sales are in decline when it's patently not true.
Do I have to?
7 pages of cheap asses complaining that Apple doesn't make something just like their dear old PC they cobbled together from parts
Clearly, yes you do because you've made no effort at all to understand the argument. You really are just being a troll on this issue. The thread is actually 36 pages long, not 7, and is absolutely not a "cheap-ass whiners" thread.
misinformed statements like Apple's desktop sales are in decline when it's patently not true.
Their share of the desktop market is in steep decline. Whislt their share of the portable market continues to increase. How long does this situation need to continue before people realise that perhaps that means there is something wrong with Apple's desktop line-up?
. . . 7 pages of cheap asses complaining that Apple doesn't make something just like their dear old PC . . .
Not so. Most complain because they are not able to buy what they really want from Apple. Mac desktops are fine if you like an AIO or the tiniest computer made. Niche markets. I revived the thread because these issues just don't go away, and will not go away as long as Apple ignores what so many of their users really want.
It's not hurting me, BTW. I buy all my Macs on eBay and will pick up a Mac Pro when the price is way down. I don't need the latest and greatest. If Apple does not want my money today for a mini tower, someone on eBay will get it in a couple years for a Mac Pro.
. . . misinformed statements like Apple's desktop sales are in decline when it's patently not true.
Units sold may not be declining, but market share is, as Mr. H points out.
Say you're not a power user (mainly email, iTunes, movies, etc) and you want a laptop with a large screen. You're out of luck, because your only choice is the the MPB starting at $2000 for a 15", and almost $3000 for a 17". Meanwhile 17" Dell laptops can be had for around $1000, maybe less.
I can agree that Apple should sell a mid tower. I don't agree that Apple should follow much of anything Dell is doing.
Units sold may not be declining, but market share is, as Mr. H points out.
Its not only Apple the entire PC industry is in a sales decline.
Its not only Apple the entire PC industry is in a sales decline.
How odd that you don't get it despite saying that in response to a comment that was trying to spell it out quite clearly:
We are not talking about a decline in units sold/shipped. We are talking about a decline in market share.
Clearly, yes you do because you've made no effort at all to understand the argument. You really are just being a troll on this issue. The thread is actually 36 pages long, not 7, and is absolutely not a "cheap-ass whiners" thread.
ok, 36 pages. I missed the other 29 pages that didn't show up on the forum software that said 1 2 3 4 5 6 7...Last and presumed 'last' was 7.
Really, I've got much better things to do than go over and over the same arguments that have gone on since time began. The one that goes... Apple don't make 'insert product', therefore I'll not buy 'insert other product that would probably be just perfect if they weren't so particular or cheap'.
I understand where the cheap-asses are coming from and it's a perfectly valid position to be in, after all Dell can make cheaper computers and look at how popular they are, but they go on and on and on about Apple not giving them what they want instead of working out what they actually NEED. Like spoilt children for the most part.
Apple don't make computers for every sector of the computing world and don't necessarily want to. They do like making profits and having good margins. That means certain sectors just aren't worth competing in. They also like making products that are different to the mainstream. Call that irrational but it is after all, their business. They aren't run by guys on forums!
Their share of the desktop market is in steep decline. Whislt their share of the portable market continues to increase. How long does this situation need to continue before people realise that perhaps that means there is something wrong with Apple's desktop line-up?
Oh god, a market share devotee. Yes, you're of course absolutely right. Apple's continuing growth in selling desktops when almost everybody else is selling less is deeply worrying. I'm extremely concerned that at a time Dell sold 17% more laptops and 5% LESS desktops, Apple only managed to improve it's laptop sales by a paltry 24% and it's desktop sales by a totally miserable 18%. How crap are they?
How odd that you don't get it despite saying that in response to a comment that was trying to spell it out quite clearly:
We are not talking about a decline in units sold/shipped. We are talking about a decline in market share.
It's not true though despite you saying it again. Almost every major PC manufacturer is showing negative growth in desktops with the exception of Apple and a few others. That's pretty much because many users have switched from desktops to laptops now that laptops are really cheap and not really any slower than full desktops. You can buy a lot of laptop for sub-$1000 now.
Apple are currently growing in desktop market share and in laptop share ahead of their competitors and ahead of the entire market so let's just stop the market share in decline myths now eh?
Don't be an idiot! I'm not whining.
If you can't partake here, don't post drivel.
Stop whining AND stop calling people idiots.
Apple are currently growing in desktop market share . . .
Read this.
Apple dropped slightly to fifth place in rankings of US computer sales during the fourth quarter of 2006, according to preliminary Gartner data obtained by AppleInsider.
The Mac maker fell a full percentage point to 5.1 percent of the domestic market between the third and fourth quarters of the year . . .
In Europe they grew by 44%.
Europe accounts for about a third of their sales worldwide. USA is less than half direct + most of what they call 'Retail' which also dropped 5%.
That is why they dropped in market share in the USA yet continue to increase market share world wide.
This isn't difficult to work out.... Just read the summary at http://images.apple.com/pr/pdf/q107data_sum.pdf