“Odd though it may seem, given the publicity it has garnered, the iPod is still a fringe business compared to the major business of PCs and laptops, where Apple is out-innovating the competition in a remorseless way. The Mac OS X is now in place, with a user interface that makes Windows look primitive. The Powerbook laptops are selling well and Apple recently released the new iMac G5,” Robin Bloor writes for Bloor research.
“In case you know nothing of it, this is, in my view, an excellent – almost awesome – product. Take, as read, the fact that it outperforms the Intel competition by a big factor and that the OS is powerful and it supports all important applications from office software through to video manipulation. For many users those factors will count in a big way, but there is another factor that probably trumps them all: The iMac G5 is phenomenally well designed… My guess is that the whole PC industry will be producing devices like this in a year or two, but right now it’s one of a kind. Apple is leading the way,’ Bloor writes.
“There are varied opinions among the financial analysts as to whether Apple will ever return to its former glory of the 1980s (yes it was that a long time ago). The most recent evidence suggests that it has already done so, and I welcome it. The IT industry and the PC industry, in particular, needs Apple to succeed,’ Bloor writes.
Full article here.
now lets see our marketshare twitch
The iMac is turning heads big style. I know 3 switchers lured in by the powerbook from the PeeCee world, now another two (who have iPods) have seen the iMac and are getting one (both 20″.
The trojan horse now has a stable mate….
I hope you’re right about the ‘stable mate’ jzilla (how do you pronounce that?).
I’m saving up for the 20″. There should be enough �s in June or July ’05. It should be undergoing its second revision about then, and I expect it to have a much better graphics card.
Jeez. “If ya can’t say somthing nice, don’t say anything at all.” — Thumper’s Mom, 1942
Mike
Careful Apple, we don’t want too many people switching at once. The wait for new Apple products are already too long.
In regards to the IT industry welcoming Apple, they well should; moreover, they should be welcoming the opportunity to do things different that they traditionally have. Surely they are tired of supporting a career that amounts to nothing more than loading patches, deleting files, and exterminating virii. Surely that isn’t what they wanted to spend their career doing. Hopefully they see that with Apple they can redefine the IT sector; perhaps even find whole new directions to go and make IT and the business that it supports more productive and�gasp�fun.
Is anyone else’s browser getting hijacked by the advertising here?
I get forwarded to a new window with only some cosmetic ad, forcing me to hit the back button to read this)
h-t-t-p-://imp.partner2profit.com/bt/p2p.gif?ccode=D3C0BD77&pcode=E90F279E
No, Safari’s built in pop-up blocker is probably preventing it.
I really don’t think Apple’s marketshare can ever get back to the “good ol’ days” when it was 25% or so. Even 5% may not be possible. PCs are too entrenched. There are too many manufacturers selling too many computers. Apple cannot really bid for the “lowest price” on components. They have limited manufacturing facilites. (Only a few vendors make product for Apple). They will survive based on unique products. They are not a niche company since Macs are computers and do the same things that other computers can do – albeit easier and with more panache. iPods are just one of a handful of MP3 type players. Apple will not dominate that market forever either. I’m not trying to be gloom and doom, just realistic. At one time Sony was the king of the hill. Now, well they’re not the only Japanese manufacturer out there.
The IT industry and the PC industry, in particular, needs Apple to succeed.
http://www.it-analysis.com/article.php?articleid=12226
Re-play,
Unfortunately, the IT industry isn’t as altruistic as you might like to think. The vast majority are more interested in gainful employment than doing what’s best for their employers. As long as CIO’s can convince the boss that they should stick with Microsoft, they’ll have their huge staff complement, hence big fat budget and more clout in the company. Corporate politics accounts for much of the aversion to Apple and Linux among the IT types, especially those with MCSE’s.
I like this article, because I think that last line speaks the truth. The PC industry needs an inovative leader to show them the way. Apple has routinely done this for years, from design, to jettisoning the Floppy Drive, to the complete redesign of the OS, Apple proves over and over again that it leads the industry in virtually all aspects. I look forward to more articles like this one in the future.
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marketshare twitch?!
ehm.. let’s see if apple can get these into the hands of customers… come on..mid-october now??
It’s still the G5 chip.. so their are supply issues..
honestly though… PC users who know about this will be pretty damn impressed. This hinges on iPod owners.. which is a brilliant strategy. They’re not afraid to put more Cupertino in their lives.
I don’t agree pkradd. Apple has very good prospects now.
MS is suffering fromm chronic obesity. With it’s huge resources it can (and does) buy the best programmers and developers – yet it still can’t get it right.
There’s a reason for this. It’s silly just to abuse MS and imply that they’re a load of nitwits – as a lot of people in this forum do. They’re not.
But I believe they’re standing on the edge of an abyss. At the very least, they’re very vunerable.
Remember IBM – they were all-powerful once upon a time. They had no contenders in the eighties. And now?
Not to mention the Roman Empire.
All the market share hot air generated by analysts is terribly misleading, for the simple fact that for their purposes, any device running Windows or DOS is considered a PC. This includes the multitude of POS cash registers and other special purpose machines that still run only MS/DOS. If one considers only general purpose computers of the type most consumers equate with a “computer”, then the numbers would be dramatically different. That’s the major reason I’m not at all concerned about Apple’s market share. I care more about their profitability.
Correction: “IBM had no contenders <up until> the eighties.”
to killthead….
your browser allows popups and redirects ??
what the heck are you using?? …
that overbloated crap from Redmond ?? ..(IE )
You really need to use Safari and PithHelmet
To my great surprise, I found out that a co-worker has made the switch having purchased a 17″ PB that should be delivered today.
This is a person who is in his mid-50’s and carefully researches before purchasing and has never owned an Apple product. He told me that he decided to go with a laptop and the Powerbook was the best deal, hands-down. This is a very good sign that Apple is making inroads with PC users.
DakRoland�
I agree. There have been a lot of good articles recently but this is one of the best I’ve seen. I’m sending a note of appreciation to the author.
Apple’s commitment to design and market useful, innovative, and elegant hardware and software is driven by their desire to make work more effective and efficient, and to make leisure time more enjoyable and welcome. Good enough for me.
Apple had better get the supply side of things worked out. There is a major shift occurring.
Jack A:
“You got that right.” Richard III
Come on Fishkill Plant. Apple needs those G5’s! I cant wait for the new iMac to explode onto the scene and totally roll over the Cleft asshole group (thurrot) story.
Forget Safari – get firefox..it is even better. Safari is a close second to it..
All yous guys have nailed it. Good comments from all. I was talking to a co-worker and he (a Mac fan) was of the opinion that Apple needed to advertise more informatively, telling people about OSXs inherent superiority. imho, he is right to a degree, but it is in the �enterprise� markets that Apple needs to push hardest. A company will only start replacing its pc boxes with eMacs, iMacs and G5s once it has seen first hand what a good product the Xserver is. Then those people who use a Mac at work will be more naturally inclined to look at Apple when they go to buy for themselves. It is with the CFO that this power resides, and once he sees Apple products succeed in other companies, he will see the possiblities for his own. We can only hope the momentum continues to build.