Apple tax vs. MS tax

Not only are Mac buyers not paying an especially hefty Apple tax, Windows users are the ones paying more for their systems in the end, an editorial claims. Whereas Apple's gross margin for the past five years is said to have been 31.83 percent, Microsoft's margin is noted to have been 81.69 percent. Most of the money is said to have been wasted, moreover, on unsuccessful products such as Vista, the Zune and Live Search.

More tangible costs to owning a Windows computer are argued to include the common trope of resale value, as a three-year old MacBook may be worth half its original cost at the same time as a Dell might be worth only 20 percent. Windows users may further have to invest in anti-virus software, as a result of the OS being targeted more often. If such software is purchased on an annual basis, it may significantly raise the true price of Windows.

by MacNN Staff