“Last week, Apple became a tentative Windows platform OEM with its announcement of Boot Camp, which allows new Mac hardware to run Windows XP and, eventually, Vista. Apple had said it wasn’t planning to support Windows — just like it said it didn’t plan to support Intel or bring out flash-based media players,” Rob Enderle writes for TechNewsWorld. “Take note: When Apple announces something it won’t do, it might actually be a sign or warning of something it will do. It did make last week’s column on the possibilities of Microsoft buying Apple more pertinent.”
“Think of this as a big market test. With Steve Jobs now on the Disney board and very interested in getting that company to buy his products, he has undoubtedly learned that this isn’t going to happen with the Mac OS. He could get in the door, however, if his product were priced competitively and ran Windows. However, going after Disney and getting his butt whipped in the rest of the market would be both painful and stupid — and he’s neither masochistic nor dumb,” Enderle writes.
“Jobs needed a big market test that he could either fund and risk a leak to the press, or productize and make money from while controlling the media message. He chose the latter, smarter, path. If sales go up dramatically, as most expect will be the case, he will have the answer to his question, which will drive him toward a more Windows-centric solution than many of the Mac folks will probably like,” Enderle writes. “Of course, given that Apple will probably have the most advanced Intel-based hardware in the market at the end of this year, it may actually have the best Windows Vista-ready hardware at that time. The impact of that is very interesting to contemplate.”
“So, could all of this result in more OS X adoption? The easy answer is no — and no one knows this better than Steve Jobs. When he reclaimed leadership of Apple, the company was trying to build a product that was very similar to OS/2, which had a compatibility feature that would run older applications. He killed it because he, and all of us that covered OS/2 as analysts, had learned that what happens when you have a dual mode product like this is that developers don’t move on it,” Enderle writes. “Realize that OS X is a unique cost that only Apple, of all the Intel hardware OEMs, bears. This OS may do more to limit Apple’s true market opportunity — and clearly does more to reduce Apple’s margins — than any other single factor. The key word is ‘may,’ and that is why what happens over the next few months will be critical. If this experiment is successful, Apple can change ‘may’ to ‘does,’ further building a foundation for decisions that take the firm toward a more Windows-centric strategy.”
“For those of you having heart attacks right now or thinking of creative ways to get me to retire early, realize that Apple is unlikely to do ‘generic’ Windows. Apple knows how important its user interface is to the market and will want to hold on to that,” Enderle writes. “Fortunately for Apple — unlike when it last considered this option in the late ’90s — Windows has become increasingly modular over time. It is very likely that, just like it did for OS X, the company could eventually create a hybrid: Traditional Mac users could get a regular Mac experience if they wanted, and Windows users could be comfortable as well. Both sets of users would have access to Apple and Windows applications that they had never before been able to run.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple doesn’t need to junk Mac OS X’s kernel for Microsoft’s Windows kernel in order to create something like Rob “Microsoft Wrote the First Mac OS” Enderle describes. Mac OS X is different than OS/2 because it already had tens of millions of adopters and developers moved over along with the Mac userbase. Mac OS X is more than simply “a unique cost that only Apple, of all the Intel hardware OEMs, bears.” With the “Classic” Mac OS now dead, Mac OS X is now the Mac itself. We don’t see Apple taking it’s crown jewel (sorry, iPod) and throwing it all away as Enderle describes; it’s not necessary to achieve what we believe Steve Jobs wants: to elevate the personal computer industry by taking it back from Bill Gates’ Mediocresoft.
People who don’t use the Mac get all kinds of crazy ideas about what it is, what it can and can’t do, and they simply cannot grasp of a world without Windows. Well, there is a world without Windows and even Microsoft; and it works, and much better, too. That more and more people are imagining a Microsoft-reduced or even Microsoft-free personal computing experience doesn’t bode well for the Redmond behemoth.
You can generally divide the writers of “Boot Camp” articles into three groups:
• Mac-only users who can’t bear the thought of booting Windows on a Mac, even though they know they need to run AutoCAD, for example, and that there will never be a Mac OS X version of AutoCAD as things are today (there may be one in the future depending on how well Apple pulls this off).
• Mac and Windows users who understand the need to run a handful of Windows apps on the Mac and who can see how this move could positively affect Apple’s Mac platform. We see Apple’s move as “embrace and extinguish.” Sure, we always wish we could convince some developers to make Mac versions of their applications or that some upstart would make a better application in that same category that would run on Macs, but we see running Windows apps on the Mac as the next best thing and something that may ultimately result in native Mac apps in time.
• Windows-only users who can’t figure out why people use Macs in the first place (hint: it’s better, way better) and think Microsoft is a necessary ingredient in all personal computing instead of realizing that Microsoft is a purveyor of mediocre software products that have been widely adopted for various reasons – legal and otherwise – none of which have anything to do with quality, taste, and/or enhancing the end users’ experience.
As we have always said, even as many short-sightedly threw in the towel, the war is not over. And, yes, we shall prevail. For the naysayers we trot out our favorite example: In 1929, Ford held just over 61% of the U.S. market for automobiles. GM’s market share stood at just 12%. Ford was thought to be invincible, with GM regarded as a niche auto maker. But, in 1936, just seven years later, Ford held 22% of the market for new automobiles while General Motors held a 43% share. No company is invincible.
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Related articles:
Enderle: Apple’s Boot Camp allowing Windows on Mac ‘could change PC landscape as we know it’ – April 06, 2006
Enderle: What if Microsoft bought Apple? – April 03, 2006
Enderle on MS Vista slip: ‘I personally can not recall Apple ever getting an opportunity like this’ – March 22, 2006
Tech pundit Enderle: ‘Microsoft wrote the first Mac OS’ – September 28, 2005
Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ ultimate goal: ‘to take back the computer business from Microsoft’ – June 16, 2005
Bio authors: Steve Jobs wants ‘to take back the computer business from Microsoft’ – May 23, 2005
Apple about to resurrect its Switch campaign? Are the ‘OS wars’ really over? – May 09, 2005
iPod success opens door to Mac OS X on Intel – March 04, 2004
As usual, I read Enderle’s article, but have no idea what he just said. Could he be more pathetic? I think not.
It seems pretty simple to me: Apple let’s Microsoft in, and by comparison, devours them. I also think Apple saw what happened when they let Windows in on the iTunes/iPod game. So really, Apple is in an envious position right now.
@me:
Could you provide a link to discussion about the “Yellow Book” project? I was speculating about a solution like this with a friend last week. Had no idea I was so close to the mark!
Rob End-er-times is a silence friction writer.
The Enderle “Group” must consist of Rob, his dog, and his dog’s deposits in the yard. After all it does take 3 to make a group, right?
Found it: Yellow *BOX* is also known as Dharma.
How can it not be clear that the OS is, by far, the most important thing to Steve Jobs? All you need to do is look at the history of NeXT. The hardware wasn’t selling and they killed that division. They could have dumped the software side and become a fancy Windows OEM but, since the original Mac was released, Jobs has always known that it’s all about the OS. You can have a case made of pure gold, encrusted with diamonds, but if it’s running Windows, it’s still just another PC. I think Jobs loves the OS design aspect as well, but given the choice, I truly believe that he would always keep the OS.
This little gem is typical Enderle history-refabrication:
“When he reclaimed leadership of Apple, the company was trying to build a product that was very similar to OS/2, which had a compatibility feature that would run older applications. He killed it because he, and all of us that covered OS/2 as analysts, had learned that what happens when you have a dual mode product like this is that developers don’t move on it,”
OS X was never built to run older applications. Classic was built to make the transition easier, but it was never intended to be a permanent fixture.
Yeah, right. I remember when AT&T used to say that.
How are THEY doing now?
Actually they are gobbling up all the baby bells quite nicely. They just bought my phone company.
And they have been caught red handed allowing the NSA to watch the internet.
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/04/09/1657258&from=rss
And we thought Microsoft was evil…
I swear, Enderle reminds me of the sloppy journalism axion “Throw enough shit against the wall, eventually some of it will stick.” Unfortunately, his walls are still clean, and his floors…well…
Hey guys, we just configured an iMac to boot EXCLUSIVELY into WinXP
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Just follow all the instructions for BootCamp. Then when installing XP make sure to DELETE all the existing partitions and install XP on all the available space.
The bootloader remains, and XP is the only OS on the system.
Sweeeeeeeeeeeet
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hmmm
Buy a box that can only run Windows, or buy a box that can run Linux, Mac OS X and Windows?
Buy a ugly, cheaply made Dell box, or buy a reasonably priced stylish Apple box and run anything I want?
Tough choice.
MDW: Justice, Like it would do us a justice if Phone Bank checked out of the Matrix.
Brrrrrring… Hello, Operator….
MDM, I’m failing to see the point? If you don’t want to use OSX, why buy a Mac?
The bootloader remains, and XP is the only OS on the system.
Way cool, I can’t wait to switch the 1500 Mac’s we have in our computer lab to the industry standard Windows!
I’ll be so busy fighting malware that I’ll have to ask for a raise and staff.
I would also get myself a cute secretary…
Thanks Apple for making it all happen!!
“MDM, I’m failing to see the point? If you don’t want to use OSX, why buy a Mac?”
Cause it’s a real purty computer, and the wifey will like it in the living room.
Kapisch?
Joe, AT&T is no longer a monopoly. That genie has left the bottle. Cingular, Verizon, Sprint, Vonage, etc., etc., are now in the game as well . . . and, of all things, I CAN NOW OWN MY OWN PHONE!
You’re probably not old enough to remember when we all LEASED our phones, being held hostage to the megalopy that USED TO BE AT&T.
They may be re-buying their subsidiaries, but they will (I trust) never again be given the kind of power and dominance that Microshaft has today.
Apparently, you LIKE that kind of commercial hostage situation. (Were your ancestors oil barons, perchance?)
MDM Says, “Cause it’s a real purty computer, and the wifey will like it in the living room.”
Hey, whatever works for you man! I’m an AAPL shareholder so the better Apple does, the better I do!
Refer to this site which exposes Enderle, and gives you the links to expose him:
http://twiki.iwethey.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/RobEnderle#Summary_works_like_a_PR_guy_gets
Microsoft is one of his PR CLIENTS. The first and last paragraph below explain WHY he writes what he does for Microsoft. That’s what a PR person is hired to do.
I quote from it:
_____________________________________________
“Enderle’s M.O. is to call himself an analyst, then hire himself out as as a PR consultant. This “flackalyst” business model only works if the reporter attributes him as “an analyst” instead of identifying his clients who are relevant to the story.
You can help the media learn to provide meaningful attributions for Enderle by sending a polite EnderleFlackLetter when you see a quote from him that doesn’t identify his relevant client.
Cut and paste from the linked-to letter, or write your own. Be sure to send direct quotes from Enderle’s own Web site that explain the quotes-for-hire plan, the “Microsoft Corp is a client of the Enderle Group” disclaimer that appeared on an Enderle-authored eWeek article, and a link to this site.
An example of an appropriate Enderle attribution is this, from internetnews.com [link to actual story is on the site]:
Rob Enderle, a market consultant and founder of the Enderle Group…. His clients include both SCO and Microsoft….
____________________________
That last paragraph is the important part folks. He’s either an analyst or a PR person…can’t be both. You decide.
STOP POSTING ENDERLE ARTICLES. HE IS A TOTAL IDIOT. IF I WANT TO READ ENDERLE, THEN I CAN GO TO SEVERAL HUNDRED CRAP WEBSITES.
MDN IS SUPPOSED TO BE BETTER THAN THOSE CRAP WEBSITES, SO *****STOP***** PUBLISHING ENDERLE.
“Hey, whatever works for you man! I’m an AAPL shareholder so the better Apple does, the better I do!”
Right on! And AAPL stock will be better off if they began selling Windows with their hardware and competed head-on with the other OEMs. But the Mac fanboys will never accept that because it’s against their religion. Investors know better than to let emotion interfere with logic.
I am not illiterate but that were just too many words for very little message! poor Enderle, when will he ever learn to write? (probably never because that means he has to understand what he is writing about – which I doubt he is capable of)
“After all it does take 3 to make a group, right?”
Right, Macromancer.
I imagine a stinking dog cluster on each chair around the conference table
with Enderle at the end with his duncecap on.
MDM says “Right on! And AAPL stock will be better off if they began selling Windows with their hardware and competed head-on with the other OEMs. But the Mac fanboys will never accept that because it’s against their religion. Investors know better than to let emotion interfere with logic.”
Actually, I disagree here… Why? Because Apple can make a hell of a lot more money selling a hardware and software combo than they can by selling software alone….
Mac and OSX
iPod and iTunes
Apple is a complete end to end solution company… They have control over the whole user experience. I don’t believe they will ever give that control up..
Licensing the Mac OS to OEM vendors in the nineties is what nearly drove the company bankrupt.. The first thing Steve Jobs did when he returned as CEO was take back control of the Mac OS and vowed to never license it again..
If Apple were to license OSX now, they’d be giving up the biggest competitve advantage they have over Dell, HP and the like.. The ability to sell the only computer in the world that is capable of running OSX, Windows and Linux… That is a huge selling point, and is going to go down as Apple’s smartest move ever..
Some may say that Apple pricing is still an issue, but with prices starting at $599 for a base model Mac, I don’t see it being much of an issue anymore..
Only time will tell how this pans out, but I personally think keeping control of OSX is the only way to go.
Hey MDM, you’re pretty f_cking stupid.
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word= farm, to which MDM should return to milk the cows.
And his dog is at the other end while his wife sprays the room with Lysol and Glade.
“So, could all of this result in more OS X adoption? The easy answer is no — and no one knows this better than Steve Jobs. When he reclaimed leadership of Apple, the company was trying to build a product that was very similar to OS/2, which had a compatibility feature that would run older applications. He killed it because he, and all of us that covered OS/2 as analysts, had learned that what happens when you have a dual mode product like this is that developers don’t move on it,” Enderle writes.
A very interesting premise, but completely wrong! Apple has more registered developers now (exclusively for OS X) than it did during the System 7.5 through Mac OS 9.x days! (In fact Apple IIRC has more registered developers now than it had in they System 6.x.x days.) How did Apple do this? It created a system which would run both Classic apps (System 9.x) and Mac OS X apps. Apple created a transition from Classic to Carbon to Cocoa.
If the transition is done badly (OS/2 or Copeland/Taligent) then it fails. If the transition is done intelligently (OS X) then the transition ends up with more developers than when it started.
As with 95% of Enderle’s rants (and that’s how I really think of them) they have no basis in reality — and no research to see if what he says is in fact true.