06-13-2005, 10:52 PM

I was having yet another mac vs. pc arguement with a friend (which I think I won, because his PC crashed a total of four times during the arguement. He also had to reformat his hard drive about a month ago, because of viruses. lol). Anyways, he made the comment, "If macs are so good, why does their market share keep on going down?"

Now I had heard that before Jobs, Apple market share was crashing down, but I heard it's coming back up. Also, according to the WWDC video, Mac sales are up, and PC sales are down. Am I correct in those two statements?

So, as he will not believe the data if I find it on a mac site, or directly from apple, does anybody know a good third party site that with have this information?

06-13-2005, 11:16 PM

Does any actually know why Apple's market share is so small to begin with. I tried google search, but I couldnt get any answers.

P.S.- Its so funny how PC users argue because they're more popular. The key words in winning an argument about PCs and Macs is "No Virus!!!"

06-13-2005, 11:26 PM

hmm, and friend of mine and i had this argument a few days before i got my iBook. he said that the only reason apple wasent huge is because apple didnt sell its computers to other companies... or something like that.

06-13-2005, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by iMe

P.S.- Its so funny how PC users argue because they're more popular. The key words in winning an argument about PCs and Macs is "No Virus!!!"

I hate when they do that too its really funny. I dont know why but i get really emotional over somethings (thats one of them when pc users think there so much better for really DUMB reasons like here is my favorite "we have two buttons on our mice you only have one so you suck") im the kind of person that if were playing a soccer game and the one team says that it went out and touched a guys foot on my team that i know it didn't i would start flipping out at the person saying that we put it out and the eventually start beating on them.

06-13-2005, 11:34 PM

um, the best and most reliable places to find out something like market shar would to be checking all the os's websites and see what they report...add them all up and they should be pretty close to 100%
i guess, i couldnt really find anything online
-chris

06-13-2005, 11:36 PM

Originally Posted by coach_z

um, the best and most reliable places to find out something like market shar would to be checking all the os's websites and see what they report...add them all up and they should be pretty close to 100%
i guess, i couldnt really find anything online
-chris

or apple's investor site

06-13-2005, 11:57 PM

Originally Posted by benjamindaines

or apple's investor site

thats what I thought to, the problem is, i know he'll be stubborn and call the info fake if it's directly from Apple...

06-14-2005, 01:27 AM

Originally Posted by iMe

Does any actually know why Apple's market share is so small to begin with. I tried google search, but I couldnt get any answers.

P.S.- Its so funny how PC users argue because they're more popular. The key words in winning an argument about PCs and Macs is "No Virus!!!"

Its all ancient history - meaning about 1988 or so - Intel came out with the x386 which was a huge break through in PC performance and Microsoft came out with Windows 3.0 ---- these 2 products combined with the fact that IBM failed to control PC clones produced an explosion of cheap PC products --- applications like word processing and spreadsheets were revolutionizing the office (and accounting etc) - and even though IBM didn't know what to really "do" with the PC --- the PC moniker had the touch of IBM attached to it - a name known for decades in businesses around the world.

While Apple clearly had a more advanced more integrated solution they had 2 major hurdles

- Name recognition at the corporate level (vs an "IBM" PC) - keep in mind that for most corporate guys in the early '80s - a computer was something like an IBM 370 mainframe or a VAX. So when you're going to plunk down a chunk of change for new fangled computers are you going to stake you're reputation with an "IBM" PC or this little California company ???

- Apple (wisely) chose a closed architecture to maintain a integrated + cohesive user experience --- but the down side here was higher component prices (lower volume) and fewer software developers.

Add in the internet and browsing and the PC explosion happened.


Couple that with the very close partnership between Intel and Microsoft during the early '90s and the PC just exploded in market-share (of course so did IT departments and jobs to manage the fragile beasts). By the late '90s the Intel / Microsoft partnership had soured and has gotten worse.

Which leads us to the present day Intel / Apple whoop-de-doo

06-14-2005, 02:09 AM

Rather than arguing over statistics, why not just answer the question...

Originally Posted by rs2sensen

..."If macs are so good, why does their market share keep on going down?"

My answer would be "Because people are unwilling to pay for quality."

Is Wal-Mart the world's best store? Does McDonalds make the world's best food? The world is not high school, and popularity doesn't matter.

06-14-2005, 07:47 AM

http://www.computerworld.com/hardwar...100548,00.html

If you google 'apple desktop market share' I think you'll find similar information from many sources. Mini sales in 2005 are expected to significantly increase market share.

06-15-2005, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by Harryc

http://www.computerworld.com/hardwar...100548,00.html

If you google 'apple desktop market share' I think you'll find similar information from many sources. Mini sales in 2005 are expected to significantly increase market share.

great article.

apple is definitely a more quality product, but i believe the iPod is what has given the Mac a boost in the market. 'buy an iPod, buy a Mac to plug it into.'

06-15-2005, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by technologist

Rather than arguing over statistics, why not just answer the question...


My answer would be "Because people are unwilling to pay for quality."

Is Wal-Mart the world's best store? Does McDonalds make the world's best food? The world is not high school, and popularity doesn't matter.

Im going to use that one next time!

PC user: Well if Macs are that good, why doesn't everyone have one?
Me: Well if Macdonalds is so crap, why is it one of the biggest restaurant!

That'll get them thinking!

06-15-2005, 12:04 PM

my father use to be a developer for Mac back in 1984 and he says today he remembered at that time he knew Apple was going to go downhill. They were too specialized in their hardware. The fact of the matter is Windoze will be forever...

the fact of the matter is the majority of people only know windoze and well they don't want to "re-learn" a new OS, that's the excuses i get everytime.

06-15-2005, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by code777

my father use to be a developer for Mac back in 1984 and he says today he remembered at that time he knew Apple was going to go downhill. They were too specialized in their hardware. The fact of the matter is Windoze will be forever...

the fact of the matter is the majority of people only know windoze and well they don't want to "re-learn" a new OS, that's the excuses i get everytime.

I think with producs such as the iPod, Apple are a lot more appealing to younger people, and its a lot easier to convert younger people because they wont have spent so long on Windows and wont be as stubborn. Once they spend some time in Apple stores, they'll slowly get converted.

06-15-2005, 12:24 PM

and young people are better at using computers (in general) and can pick up new systems much more quickly, and use them to their full potential