“PC users don’t really get the Mac and have never gotten the Mac. Since most of the world talks Windows, it’s no surprise that few in the industry really appreciate the windfall that’s in store for Apple Computer over the next 18 months,” David Morgenstern writes for eWeek.
Morgenstern writes, “The big deal for Mac users will be upgrades, primarily meaning the transition of the installed base of Mac users to the Intel-based machines. The first sign of the pent-up demand for newer, faster Macs can be seen in Apple’s latest quarterly results. The sales of some 800,000 notebooks—almost all the high-priced spread—represents a 61 percent increase from the year-ago quarter. With our internal clocks it feels as if it all must have happened by now. But it’s only just beginning. For example, Apple’s super-loyal base of professional content creators haven’t yet received their Intel machines. However, this cycle isn’t your usual processor upgrade cycle that comes every time Intel or Advanced Micro Devices tweaks a process. This is a major shift that affects all parts of the Mac customer-developer-vendor ecology.”
“This coming Intel transition may prove to be a triple high biorhythm for the Mac. Along with the new Intel models, the Mac market will be bolstered early in 2007 by the arrival of Mac OS X “Leopard” (v10.5) and later in the spring with Intel-compatible versions of major Mac software platforms, such as the Adobe Creative Suite 3 products,” Morgenstern writes.
“Wild cards in the Intel transition mix are ‘switchers,’ the customers persuaded by the demonstrations of content creation in the Apple stores. Will this trend with Windows users switching to Mac continue after the arrival of Windows Vista and its prettier face? Maybe,” Morgenstern writes. “With Vista missing the holiday and back-to-school seasons, many customers are buying Macs. A family in my neighborhood has been all PC since the PC XT. But the eldest son is going off to college and says he wants a Mac. It’s the vanguard of a new generation gap. He’s never owned a Mac but he’s gotta have one—a good sign for Apple.”
Much more in the full article here.
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