View this article at: http://www.macnn.com/articles/06/12/11/growth.rate.of.switchers/ Monday, Dec 11, 2006 2:55pm Growth rate of Apple switchers may rise New research suggests that the number of new users to the Mac platform is expected to continue rising. Research collected from 20 Apple specialist stores by research firm Piper Jaffray reveals that 25 percent of customers are purchasing Macs for the first time, and that this number is expected to continue rising as a result of the theorized iPod 'halo effect' as well as the popularity of Apple's Boot Camp software. Comparatively, Apple stated that 50 percent of customers who purchased Macs in its own chain of retail stores were 'switchers' who had never used a Mac before. The research firm also expects an increase in general Mac sales, with iPod stock in the run up to the holiday season revealing solid stock at specialist stores. Those stores that were missing the iPod shuffle and iPod nano over the last several weeks are now reporting that both models are in stock.