Apple could increase marketshare in '06
updated 04:50 pm EDT, Wed June 7, 2006
iPod halo effect?
The halo effect may not be working, but Apple's future is still bright, according to analysts who believe that Apple can pick up marketshare with its Intel-based Macs later this year. Forbes.com notes that while the iPod has been wildly successful, the company has still struggled to increase its Mac marketshare so far, but some believe that Apple could increase its marketshare by more than 150 percent by year's end. Gartner's data show that in the last quarter, Apple's U.S. market share dropped to 3.5 percent from 3.6 percent in the same period last year and that its worldwide marketshare also dropped from 2.2 percent to 2.1 percent.
The March quarter numbers, which appear to discount the iPod halo effect, show that while Apple increased sales by 3.1 percent to 570,000 Macs, the market grew at a much faster pace -- by nearly four times at 13.1 percent. However, Apple's full line of Intel-based Macs were not available in the first quarter and its MacBook Pro shipments were constrained.
"There’s no empirical evidence to suggest that iPods make people buy computers," says IDC research manager David Daoud.
At least one analyst, however, believes that Apple will gain significant marketshare later this year as college students purchase the new, lower-priced consumer level MacBooks. Apple's new free iPod nano offer for college students could help along with the company's expanding partnership with Best Buy, according to the report. Apple's growing retail presence may also aid the company during the holiday season.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 2001
Dummy effect
Well, Steve Jobs, is both my idol and shininy example of stupid at the same time.
He has a habit of repeating himself, but that includes the good and the bad things.
Take the Lisa, Next Cube, G4 Cube, blah blah blah
All were painfully over priced.
Now, I'm all behind the premiur items require a premiur price, and this was the price we would have to pay for custom hardware, powerful OS, and CPUs out of the mainstream commodity market. However, the prices were still quite high. Quality was great, but how much is too much.
Now we are using the standard PC world CPUs and building basically upscale PCs, but the prices have INCREASED!!!!!
I know it's an old and unfair comparison pitting a Dell that comes with a 17" flatpanel and printer for $499 against a monitorless Mac Mini minus the screem for $100 more.
So how much are we expected to pay for prettier hoardware.
For me the Mac experience does include the elegance of the hardware, but it's more the OS that means anything to me.
So why in the h*** is anyone who uses a PC regularly and looks at a Dell setup for $499 going to want to shell out $799 17" cinema plus $599 mini total $1,398?
For what iLife? The average PC user is just that, average. They don't do hardcare web development, need calibrated screens, edit movies daily, need to manage their photos professionally, or anything close to what us average Mac users do.
This is not saying that they as stupid, less interested, or less creative, but they don't want to pay $900 more for a computer becuase it can "do" something they don't normally "do" better.
What they do:
1. Surf the web. unfortunately they win here. More site can run on Windows than mac. doesn't matter if Firefox is used.
2. Balance accounts and internet bank. Tie
3. Play games. Hardcore PC gamers can build killer machines under the base cost of ours.
4. Email. All equal again.
5. Managae music. iTunes for everyone here fellas.
So for the 4-7% of creative professionals out there, we already use Macs.
The rest of the iPod users with PCs simply are not willing to pay.
This is a lesson you would think Steve would FINALLY LEARN, but stupid is as stupid does.
Solution: 1. Keey the Pro line basically as is. Lower the price by like 15%. They would need to develop 15% more sales to break even, but do it anyway.
2. The Mac Book is kinda cheapish anyway. Just lower the price to $799, $999, and 1129 for the black.
3. Mac mini single $299 and $449 core duo. But kill the expensive housing. Put it in a freaking plastic modled box like the rest of the world. Put the industrial design mess to rest on this one. It's just an entry-level machine, not a Mona Lisa for goodness sake. Drop it alre