“Windows 7 did little to slow the Mac’s sales trajectory during fourth quarter, according to NPD. Year over year, Apple doubled US retail unit share — from 5 percent to 10 percent — for PCs selling between $500 and $1,000. More startling, Apple increased its unit share from 79 percent to 90 percent in the market for ‘premium’ PCs, meaning those selling for more than $1,000,” Joe Wilcox reports for Betanews. “In July, I reported that Apple’s revenue share for PCs selling for more than $1,000 was 91 percent, because of higher average selling prices; nearly all Macs sold for more than $1,000. Now Apple benefits from 90-percent unit share, too.”
“Stated differently: Nine out of 10 premium PCs purchased from US retail brick-and-mortar stores or online sites (including major chains and Apple Store) during fourth quarter was a Mac,” Wilcox reports. “The data isn’t good for Microsoft’s Windows PC partners. Microsoft and OEMs touted more feature-rich Windows 7 PCs for the holidays. Additionally, ahead of Windows 7’s launch, Microsoft spent six months marketing premium Windows PCs during its ‘Laptop Hunters’ campaign. These marketing efforts apparently failed. Apple doesn’t just own the premium market, its sales are increasing there.”
MacDailyNews Take: We’ve seen more than enough: Are the people at Microsoft’s Mac-loving ad agency, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, intentionally trying to sabotage Microsoft? If so, it’s working. Great job, guys; keep it up! If not, they’re as inept as the should-be used car salesman with history’s most fortunate dorm assignment who ultimately approved these myriad self-damaging campaigns. – MacDailyNews Take regarding Microsoft’s “Laptop Hunters” ad campaign, April 04, 2009
WIlcox continues, “For now, as I explained in Friday post, “‘Apple iPad was my idea’,” there are no price cuts but an opening of price bands. I wrote: “iPad fills a gaping hole in the [portable] Mac product line between the aforementioned $399 and $999. Suddenly, the cheapest, functional Mac portable is $499, or half what it was on Monday. Consumers who wanted a Mac but couldn’t afford one can get one for under 500 bucks.” The day after, I posted about Apple covering all mobile computing price points from $99 to $2,499, Boy Genius Report put together a visual representation.”
Wilcox writes, “The one question remains: Can Apple really be effective taking its premium brand success to the market below five hundred bucks? That’s for iPad to answer, starting in about 60 days.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “James W.” for the heads up.]
Joe, the answer is YES!
Bloodbath! To borrow an MDN phrase.
Starting at $499 is a steal!!!!
9.7″ Kindle: $489. 9.7″ iPad: $499.
Is this really even a contest?
So, are the talking heads now going to count all OS X devices as computers? The iPad is going to be counted like the NetBooks. If they count the iPad, why not the iPod touch and iPhone that also run apps on a OS X operating system.
I want the real OS X market share in the PC count! Stop shielding the true story of the fall of Microsoft!
“YES… we can!” …says Apple.
I have a suspicion that they include $999 MacBooks in the pool of 1k+ machines.
“$59 dollars for a low end Apple product…that doesn’t have a place to sit on – making it not an effective business throwing device. Take Staples recent office chair for TWENTY NINE DOLLARS – …”
Mmm, am I missing something? The iPad works all by itself w/o the need for a Mac or PC? My understanding is that it is _not_ a stand-alone computer; it’s an accessory. Like the iPhone, it needs a Mac or PC to initiate, update, synchronize, etc. Framing the iPad as replacing Windows PCs seems inaccurate.
Impressive, so how does Dell make money?
So my question: how long before Apple releases the iHub, an Apple TV-like appliance to serve as the “base station” for sync’ing with the iPad/iPhone/iPod touch?
“These marketing efforts apparently failed.”
What do they mean? MS succeeded! They succeeded to sell under $1000 computers, which is what they advertised.
“Impressive, so how does Dell make money?”
With smoke and mirror. As long as they can convince wall street to buy their stock, who cares what they make at the retail?
“Consumers who wanted a Mac but couldn’t afford one can get one for under 500 bucks.”
Wrong Gonzo. The iPad is not a Mac. Your gonna have to pony up $599 for a new Mac Mini. I checked and Apple doesn’t have any refurbished MMs. Hmmm?
How about getting rid of the annoying pop under ads. MDN is the only site that does this. I really don’t need 1 Tip of a Flat Belly: A Surprising New Way to Burn Fat Quickly
I think that Apple should take action on price point of mac. It is still expensive. With the same price, you can get higher spec and advatage of hardware. $1000 MacBook is piece of shit. With that price, you should do almost everything you want. But you can’t. Even MacBook pro is not really equipped with very latest hardware in. It is shame. Premium? Nobody wants ridicoulous price with less spec. Tablet? I don’t know. It is not iPhone. It looks just bigger version. Nothing to take advantage of it. I doubt that it will be flying high. It would be the same destination like apple TV. When you have portable laptop and iPhone, why do you need tablet? Only thing is that ipad price point seems right this time. I can’t say it is cheaper but not really expensive with that technology you will enjoy.
Comment from: Stephen
Impressive, so how does Dell make money
—————-
I’m just guessing, but I assume it’s on sheer volume. Despite Dell’s low margins per sale, they do sell a lot of machines, and thus can eke out a meager profit. However, Apple is getting the cream — high margins from a nice share of the upper end of the market.
Edward, u don’t get it. Mac users aren’t drunk on specs. They want a quailty product that works.
PC weenies are addicted to the latest specs POS computer that doesn’t work most of the time. It makes feel better running an 10 year old Os that is infested with viruses.
Go ahead reinstall you Windblows the 2456th, maybe it’s gonna run now!
If you’re a careful shopper and jump on the Apple Store’s refurbished Mac Minis when they appear for $499, you can now have two Macs for $998! iPad for the road, a Mini at home, shell out another hundred for .ME and then the storage capacity of the iPad is irrelevant. Your files, movies, etc. available anywhere, anytime.
I’m banking on some clever company to come up with a perfect case for the iPad that also holds a blue tooth keyboard, and then I’ll never need a laptop again. And it will finally give me the strength to dump MS Word.
Why is each configuration of iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad in that chart, but only one config of each Mac? That graph should either be a lot wider, or a lot narrower. Skewed representation methinks.
boyweho – You are sort of correct.
Example – I’m thinking of buying one of these for my mom. She has no computer and no internet. I’d load it with photos of the grandkids, some of my apps, maybe a little music (she doesn’t listen to music much), and set her up an email account all through my computer here, then give it to her. She pays $15.00 per month for wireless, and she’s set. With the minimal computing she’ll do, she will rarely ever need to back up or connect to a computer. What’s more, she won’t have to learn a new o.s., because it is so simple and has no file system to learn and so on. She’ll be able to play solitaire and mah jong, surf the net, use email, but with minimal fuss. The biggest hurdle I see is if she wants to print anything. She’d have to email documents to a relative or something, since she doesn’t have a printer.
If you remove high tag price to Macs? What remains for competition?
Their eyes to cry!!
@ aka Christian
There are a few printer Apps for the iPhone & Touch. Get a wireless printer or USB to plug in the wireless router for basic printing. I did that for one client and it works, but the choices of what to print from the iPhone was limited with one of the free Apps.
Give the software guys a month or two and who knows what printer options there will be. Not to mention what Apple may add to the iPad as extra software.
They made new versions of iCal, Contacts, Photos, so they could add a printer function.
Should have looked harder before posting.
“Sources who talked to Apple’s business unit also say the company is working on some additional features that haven’t been publicly announced yet. These include support for direct network printing from iPad apps…”
We forget, Apple has two months before it ships.
@John
“So my question: how long before Apple releases the iHub, an Apple TV-like appliance to serve as the “base station” for sync’ing with the iPad/iPhone/iPod touch?”
Mac mini / Mac mini Server?
One thing I’d like to add that some people fail to realize:
Apple’s business model seems ridiculously aware that even if the initial sticker price seems to be more expensive (which it’s not if you consider total cost of ownership), as people become increasingly technologically literate, people will actually want to spend more money on the computers that are such an integral part of their lives. I am a college student and I’ve noticed in the past two years that many of my classes have 50% or more mac users (and I’m not an art student).