Half of recent Mac buyers are switchers from rival platforms
About half of recent Mac purchases are not made by long-time Apple loyalists, but are instead switchers from PCs and Chromebooks.
The Mac is seeing a shift in new users
The Apple product line has long competed in a market dominated by various operating systems and manufacturers. Notably, the rivalry between macOS and Windows has been a staple of tech discourse for decades.
However, recent analyses reveal a surprising trend -- many Windows PC and Chromebook users are now opting for Mac computers.
A recent study conducted by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) dives into the backgrounds of Mac laptop and desktop customers, particularly those who have recently made the switch to Mac. About one-third of Mac buyers in the past year were previously Windows-based PC users.
Additionally, prior Google Chromebook owners represented 16% of new Mac customers. All told, the data suggests that nearly 60% of Mac buyers in the last year were new to the platform.
Past computer ownership (year ending in December)
The iPhone remains a crucial factor for the platform shifters.
"It feels like we are back in 2001 at the first Apple store, with newly minted Geniuses actively trying to convert PC owners into Mac buyers, CIRP speculates. "In fact, we think iPhone, which arrived six years later, is continuing the job that the Apple Store started."
The iPhone revolutionized the smartphone market and now serves gateway for users to explore other Apple products, including Mac computers. This effect is reflected in the data presented by CIRP on Wednesday.
While the Mac was historically been a foundational product for Apple, the roles reversed a few years after the iPhone released. Originally, Mac users spurred iPhone adoption because the then pre-iCloud device needed a Mac to serve as a "hub" for organizing content.
Now though, the iPhone is Apple's primary product that drives growth and sales. Consumers are still switching to the iPhone, many of whom may be PC or Chromebook users.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
I doubt this will move the needle for Apple and against MS but it's a nice, slow bonus for Apple in the long run.
Macs ease of use, fit finish very good performance and great resale value 2-3 years down the road, however the value of a any PC in contrast drops like a rock the moment you buy it unless you had the foresight to get high end graphics card?
One added benefit family members/close friends will gladly buy or take a used Mac or iPad Pro that is reasonably equipped off your hands with a smile.
...and yes, to the graphics card mention which I've long used as good advice.
Another way of looking at the equation is how much profit you can generate from a Mac v WinPC if you use it for work. Processing time, boot/load times, new setup times, and time and cost of having to install 3rd-party SW all play a part in figuring out if a Mac an overall cheaper option even thought the price of entry could be higher, but I'm sure you know this. Of course, if you are coming from Windows then one would also need to factor in the time in which it takes to become proficient in macOS, which is why I'm glad that macOS has continued to get more in-line with iOS/iPadOS in many regards.