“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
MDM, woops, just re-read your post…. You are saying Apple should ship Macs with Windows pre-installed…
I don’t think this is likely either.. It makes no sense for Apple to pay Microsoft a licensing fee for the sale of every Mac, when Apple already has a much better OS… Apple is leaving it up to the consumer to add Windows if they choose… This relieves Apple of having to spend the money on paying MS a license and even more money from having to provide tech support for Windows.
Virtualization = maybe
Macs shipped with Windows = definitely not.
Now, now–don’t shout. Get a grip. Look at Enderle links as MDN’s attempt at a Comedy Break”.
I agree with Mike. Apple should not include Winduhz. I might be forced to load a copy of Winduhz on my work Mac, but there is no way I’m loading that piece of crap on my home Mac.
“Hey guys, we just configured an iMac to boot EXCLUSIVELY into WinXP. XP is the only OS on the system. “
Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.
“Hey guys, I just bought a Ferrari. I took out the engine and replaced it with the old one from my Voltswagen Jetta… Sweeeeeet. It’s real purty so my wife is happy… it just doesn’t work as well anymore. AWESOME.”
Actually, AT&T was just bought by one of the original ‘baby bells’ and since the AT&T name came with the deal they’re changing their name to… AT&T.
“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.”
Darkness,
excellent post!
Your Shakespeare quote ‘methinks he doth protest too much’ and your own: “the scent of fear” are applicable to any number of comments and articles from the ‘M$ world’ that I’ve been reading lately.
They’re on the run!
Mike,
exactly!
The Enderle group consists of him and his wife. I asked him. If you write something rational to him, he usually responds personally.
AT&T isn’t buying the baby bells at all, in fact it’s the other way around. Some of the baby bells consolidated and became SBC. Then SBC bought AT&T, effectively killed it and took the name because it is one of the oldest and most famous corporations in the world. The “new at&t” isn’t AT&T at all. It’s SBC with a new/old name.
quote:
Scientists will never use Windows seriously.
A couple years ago I would have thought this was ridiculous, but now I’m not surprised at all. I am currently a microbiology student at UCLA and I’ve noticed that the further up I go in our science department the less prevalent MS becomes. Three of my four professors this quarter present their lectures on powerbooks. The fourth uses the blakcboard, but I know that the professor who wrote the text book for the class, and for every honors physics class at UCLA, uses macs. Last quarter my comp sci professor used an iBook. I would guess that apple market share of univeristy profs is about 50-60%, and among those that use their computers for lecture it’s much higher. I doubt that’s because they use MS in the lab. Let’s hope that they rub their liberal values and OS preference onto their students. jk. sorta.
The Mac wont die – it will rule eventually, But the Mac name will die soon! Who needs it anyway – apart from, errrr Mac Daily News (and a handful of other fan sites).
You know what’s driving me bat$#!+? The non-Mac-fans in these threads seem to be divided into two camps.
— Apple should abandon the hardware business and sell OS X for any PC.
— Apple should abandon the software business and sell computers with Windows.
Well, which is it?! They can’t do both!
Neither option passes the laugh test. OS X on generic PCs would be an unmitigated disaster unless pre-install agreements were made with many manufacturers. Even then, they make much more money selling computers than they could selling an OS. But a Mac with Windows is just a boutique PC. Take OS X out of the equation, and who would want it?
MDN is right about one thing. These people have NO CLUE why we use Macs. To them a computer is just a computer. They should use a Mac for a few weeks. They’d see why the hardware and the OS are inseparable.
I hope they rub their computer preferences not their liberal values on to their students. The last thing this country needs is another looney, left wing, commie! Let’s pray Enderflea is completely wrong.
The only thing Enderle said that had any intelligence behind it was:
“Take note: When Apple announces something it won’t do, it might actually be a sign or warning of something it will do.”
After that, he started breathing helium.
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There he goes, blowing more smoke out of his enderle.
These guys just don’t get it. I suppose Classic in Mac OS X was to try to get people to quit using OS X and go back to OS 9. I can’t figure out if Enderle is really that stupid or if he just wants to say outrageous thisngs to get site hits. So for Enderly’s benafit and any other’s too I will let you in on a secret: Apple is NOT a hardware company. Aplle is NOT a software company. Apple IS a systems company. Boot Camp is the latest attempt by Apple to create an OS trojan horse. One that Symantec and others can’t protect windows users from.
Enderle says…
Windows has become increasingly modular over time.
NOT TRUE WHATSOEVER!!!
If Windows is so modular, why is Internet Explorer so glued to it?! Didn’t Jim Allchin testify during the antitrust case versus the DOJ that if Microsoft was forced to removed IE and other such middleware components from Windows that it would break the codebase??! NO, Windows is FAR from modular if what Microsoft said was true, unless Mr. Allchin was lying to the court on the subject.
Rob Enderle is spreading the usual FUD in Microsoft’s behalf!
I just had a thought. Steve is heading to India to see the new tech support operations there. Do you think just maybe this place will be handling questions regarding Windows? I’m not sure Jobs is ready to “knife the baby (OS X) ” for another 2 percent market share but bundling Vista along with 10.5 may not seem so crazy. Discuss.
My gosh, Enderle has blown a gasket!
What an idiot. He really doesn’t have a clue. He couldn’t find his ass with both hands and a map.
Yeah exactly, DudeMac. How has Windows gotten increasingly modular over the last, I don’t know, 5 years or so? Considering it hasn’t changed AT ALL in that time, what the fuck is Enderle talking about?
Microsoft is really feeling the heat. Remember this past winter that Paul was being so positive Apple. He bragged about buying an intel iMac and so on … Rob for a Month didn’t mumble a word about Apple.
Two weeks before Microsoft press release that they wasn’t able to ship Vista until next year both of these tools started Apple bashing to the point of grabbing information out of the air. How are these people not being sued for being liable. After the Apple v Apple lawsuit Steve should send the lawyers to the next mission.
According to these two Mac OS X.5 won’t be released until late 2007 and now Apple will become a Windows OEM. I can see a shinny new Mac with that stupid Product Key sticker on the side of it.
[How are these people not being sued for being liable.]
Apple needs to pursue these assclowns.
Sue each one of these ‘people’ and their publishers for each ‘misrepresentation’.
Sue for several million dollars of damages that could caused ‘impediment of trade’ OR settle for three retractions of their libelous lies in the same ‘publication’ as the offending one. All must be published on their ‘busiest days’, as to garner the largest possible ‘perception of actuality’.
One OR the other – no bargaining.
Deal or no deal!
Microsoft biggott who knows nothing about technology especially when it comes to Apple’s technology. Always trying to twist the truth into a Microsoft way of doing things. He would be a great Enquirer paper magazine writer when it comes to making up stupid stories.
>>Scientists will never use Windows seriously.
Nonsense. Complete bull. Most scientists (I am one) use applications like Matlab, Mathematica, Maple and Mathcad. These are platform agnostic and it makes zero difference whether you are running on Linux, MacOS or Windows. In fact, most scientists I know prefer Linux – it offers the benefits of cheap, fast, generic PC hardware with no license fee.
autocad is a joke.
Woweee the Microsoft PR department is ramping up the activity – as was said above there’s the ‘scent of fear’. The shame of it is that Enderle type activity works for many people who don’t have the time or the desire to know more..
Bu the truth is more and more OPINION FORMERS are now using OSX, and it is inevitable therefore that later on the herd will follow them. Look at any TV documentary nowadays and you will see at least a 50/50 split of Macs to PC’s, whether in sciences, medicine et al.