Will Apple surpass Microshaft in Operating systems?

I think they are on a roll and nothing can stop them.

Sorry to disagree but no. I think a large chunk of the surge is that they will now run Microsoft making them a viable machine for business. But their much higher price (over dbl) for a laptop for a typical corp. machine takes them out of the running.

Michael415 said:

Sorry to disagree but no. I think a large chunk of the surge is that they will now run Microsoft making them a viable machine for business. But their much higher price (over dbl) for a laptop for a typical corp. machine takes them out of the running.

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If Apple reduced prices slightly they could be very completive.

Slightly? The average worker gets a new HP at work with a 15 inch screen and docking station for about 570. We can get a MB for 900 basic model, no dock which ppl will complain about, only followed by complaints about the tiny 13 screen. Which means ppl are going to want the MBP at the cost of 1800. We are a big org that isn't cash poor but getting a MBP is reserved for middle and upper level management, can you imagine the expense of buying and implementing 10,000 (literally) MBPs? Don't get me wrong apples are great machines but to be competitive they have to change more than a slight price drop, more like 50-75% and then they lose their prestige so its not going to happen. That is the one thing that really irks me about the MBP no docking station and also makes it feel less professional. I have tried the bookends option but really not very well done and it gets old plugging everything in/out for meetings.

Basically, Apple would have to make low end and midrange boxes.. other than the mini. The MBP is priced pretty much accordingly for the tier one market.. for example a T61p or an X model thinkpad, XPS, alienware, etc. What they do not have is the equivalent of a Lenovo 3000 n100, a Dell Inspiron, etc.

I too would like a docking station, and let me tell you I'd buy a new MBP if one came out with one in a heartbeat.. but the OS (and usability, for instance I now hate my thinkpads trackpad) is worth the minor inconvenience.

In the end, the masses will likely never leave windows. Change is difficult for many, and they're finally used to that OS. Linux, which will run happily on pretty much every box out there, shares the same fate as OS X that way. But hey, that's fine. I know lots of people who are kept employed because of Windows, I'd hate to see them lose their jobs

I read an interesting article recently that the Mac is what teens these days want. They look at Windows PCs as the stuff their parents use... something that's old tech and behind the times. Kinda like how many of us look at typewriters now.

I don't think it's Apple's goal to even attempt to overtake Windows. If it was, they would have come out with mid-range and budget boxes a long time ago. To be honest, they could probably do it a little better than Windows PC's since Apple's OS typically takes less powerful hardware to run at the same pace as Windows. It's simply not going to happen because Apple doesn't want it to happen, but their still making money like they have keys to the US mint.

I definitely see what lifeisabeach said about teens wanting Apple computers. They are attracted to the looks more than the functions, but whatever gets them in the door is fine. Maybe if the market share continues to climb Apple will someday change its strategy, but until they choose to do so Apple will be the minority.

You wouldn't really want OS X to overtake Windows anyway, because then who would we make fun of? ;P

Kash said:

You wouldn't really want OS X to overtake Windows anyway, because then who would we make fun of? ;P

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Yes what a good point.

too many business run microsoft for Apple to be able to pass it. We (a retail store) run a microsoft machine just for a POS program, and an Apple machine would be way too expensive for that

MBasile said:

too many business run microsoft for Apple to be able to pass it. We (a retail store) run a microsoft machine just for a POS program, and an Apple machine would be way too expensive for that

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Yeah and companies don't like to have to revamp the whole IT department. I just wish they had something like Microsoft flight simulator for Mac that would be cool.

I sure hope the market share dont go up. I like it low. A friend of mine once said "Apple is about a rich and popular as a company can be without actually selling anything" Not that its entirely true, but I still find it funny

LAPTOP GAMER said:

Yeah and companies don't like to have to revamp the whole IT department. I just wish they had something like Microsoft flight simulator for Mac that would be cool.

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What's that? You want a flight sim for OS X? Look no further than X-Plane. Widely considered to be the BEST one out there for any platform.

lifeisabeach said:

What's that? You want a flight sim for OS X? Look no further than X-Plane. Widely considered to be the BEST one out there for any platform.

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X plane is great, but it lacks the great add ons like FS passengers, add on air craft that have an FMC computer and other great things like that.

I think apple will be taking a sizeable chunk of the consumer market, and make inroad in to the business portable market - and good on them, they are profitable areas.

With those sort of markets bringing in plenty of dollars, Apple have no incentive to build low margin corporate desktops to take on Microsoft in the enterprise.

The success of Apple will also force third parties to support the Mac even more (SatNav devices!) - since 20% of home users (in the US) are buying macs, and that's a market segment too big to keep ignoring.

I hope it will do Microsoft some good, they are at last beginning to learn that failing to produce products people want is a bad strategy.

louishen said:

I think apple will be taking a sizeable chunk of the consumer market, and make inroad in to the business portable market - and good on them, they are profitable areas.

With those sort of markets bringing in plenty of dollars, Apple have no incentive to build low margin corporate desktops to take on Microsoft in the enterprise.

The success of Apple will also force third parties to support the Mac even more (SatNav devices!) - since 20% of home users (in the US) are buying macs, and that's a market segment too big to keep ignoring.

I hope it will do Microsoft some good, they are at last beginning to learn that failing to produce products people want is a bad strategy.

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Not to be a pain but where did you get the 20% from? The most I can find is 7.6% of the home us market from USA Today, other sources are even lower. Its dbl edged in my view I want apple to do great (higher stock is more $) but on the flip there will come a flipping point where apple will lose the exotic, rare factor and also start becoming commonplace and no longer an object of desire. The uglier side of that is they will fresh meat for hackers, virus', etc etc. Apple only fuels this along further when the do MS style tactics like throwing in safari with itunes update.

Apple wont take any market share from the Corporate world.

Way to many people to re-train, the systems cost to much, it will take years for large corporations to fully integrate MACS, not many company "specific" programs will run on MAC OS as they are all Windows based, except for web based apps.

The bean counters will say no to mac, because in the end it cost more for a mac than a PC, and that affects the bottom line which affects the share holders and when the share holders are not happy people lose their jobs.

I also believe Steve Jobs said himself he is not interested in perusing selling MACs to corporate America, because Apple is not geared towards that volume of support.

Actually, in the end it's very likely a wash. TCO is more than the initial cost of purchase. There are huge amounts of time spent in every organization I was a part of as IT (although I was a Unix and network admin/SE) testing and rolling out windows security updates etc. The bean counters, however, need this to be proven to them. So you're likely right.

FWIW pretty much every app I use at work will run on my Mac, and I do use my Mac at work (despite being issued a thinkpad). The bulk of my work apps though are Java based, which well... run cross-platform as well as they do on any platform (the bad ones still suck and crash the JVM).

Apple manufactures their own computers (sort of). Microsoft doesn't.

Apple could never physically produce enough machines to surpass all the PC manufacturers combined production. (That's what would need to be done to surpass Windows in terms of volume.)

james515 said:

Apple wont take any market share from the Corporate world.

Way to many people to re-train, the systems cost to much, it will take years for large corporations to fully integrate MACS, not many company "specific" programs will run on MAC OS as they are all Windows based, except for web based apps.

The bean counters will say no to mac, because in the end it cost more for a mac than a PC, and that affects the bottom line which affects the share holders and when the share holders are not happy people lose their jobs.

I also believe Steve Jobs said himself he is not interested in perusing selling MACs to corporate America, because Apple is not geared towards that volume of support.

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Even when web based sometimes there are issues. We have two web based apps the will ONLY run under IE 5.5 and up. Trust me I tried every other browser under the sun and nope, it wouldn't work period. So basically I needed to install fusion/Windows just to use the web based software, and project. And I can't even imagine the poor IT guys trying to support a large company that had to go this route, it just doesn't make sense. I think apple out to be glad its at 7.6% of the home us market share, and maybe push for a bit more in that area but its not going to be a fruitfull venture going after enterprise.