“Mac is back,” Beth Snyder Bulik reports for Advertising Age. “Industry watchers are pleasantly surprised that it was Apple Computer’s design-inspired and user-friendly machine, not its small white music wonder, that bolstered the bottom line in the company’s just-reported fiscal third quarter. Apple shipped more than 1.3 million Macs in the U.S. for a 12% increase year-over-year. That puts it on the cusp of a 5% market share-the company’s biggest slice of the pie since 1998.”
“‘It’s not gigantic market share, but the momentum proves they’re doing something right,’ said David Daoud, analyst at IDC, who puts Mac’s share at 4.8%. ‘The numbers tell us the company is gaining traction.’ The rising numbers are important because Mac adds considerably more to Apple’s bottom line than iPod. And while 5% seems small, it’s not shabby in a highly fragmented market. According to Gartner’s latest U.S. data, leader Dell has a hefty 32% share, followed by HP with almost 19%, but the rest quickly dissolve into single digits: Gateway is at 6% and Lenovo has just under 4%,” Bulik reports.
“Analyst Tim Bajarin of Creative Strategies said ‘there is no question that Apple believes that the Mac as a platform is vital to its future.’ He added: ‘I think they’ll become even more aggressive in pushing the Mac as the center of digital living.’ If so, it’s got a ways to go. According to TNS Media Intelligence, Apple spent less than $7 million in measured media on Mac for the first 11 months of 2005, compared to some $57 million for iPod. Spending on Mac presumably has risen considerably this year with the new effort, though figures were not available,” Bulik reports.
Bulik reports, “The recent Mac success, of course, is still distant from its zenith in the ’80s. In 1986, for instance, Apple had a 16% market share and was the No. 2 seller of computers behind then-leader IBM. Even as late as 1990, Apple held a 10.7% share. Some optimistic analysts say Apple could once again reach a double-digit share in the U.S. computer market, but others believe modern market conditions will make that difficult, if not impossible.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: The phrase “modern market conditions” is meaningless. Nothing’s impossible (unless you only use Windows). Apple will confound the naysayers once again. More and more people will wake up to fast, fun, and secure personal computing with Macintosh. Only Apple Macs can run Mac OS X, Linux and Windows. Dominant market shares can be lost and gained virtually overnight. It’s happened before in many industries.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Analyst: Apple selling more notebooks than Wall Street realizes – July 31, 2006
Apple brewing ‘Perfect Storm’ of Mac sales? – July 28, 2006
PC World writer’s advice for Microsoft: ‘Stop making crap’ – July 27, 2006
Microsoft about to lose the software business just as IBM lost the PC business in ‘80s – July 26, 2006
Survey shows big jump in consumer interest in buying Apple Mac; Dell takes steep slide – July 06, 2006
Dude, you got a Dell? What are you, stupid? Only Apple Macs run both Mac OS X and Windows! – April 05, 2006
When the September results for Apple come out in the middle of October, there’ll be no more talk about ‘modern marketing conditions’ preventing Apple reaching double figures.
Oooh! Prognostication!
I’m always amused when technology and financial analysts seem incapable of remembering the phrase “past performance is no guarantee of future performance,” especially since they’ve been the ones pounding it into our brains for the past 50 years. And yet, they create their opinions in a reality where the future is purely unknownable, and the the only thing that impact belief is the past performance of the market. It’s like watching a NASCAR race where all the drivers drive facing the back of their car and drive in reverse around the track.
Just think, with a few more phenomenal, miraculous, unbelievable years and Apple might catch up to Gateway!
Apple eats Gateway for lunch. And is hungry again 20 minutes later.
All the people ranting about how “Apple has abandoned the Mac for the iPod” sure are quiet now aren’t they?
You don’t know the history of Mac market share, I do!
‘modern marketing conditions’ is a phrase of the herd, by the herd and for the herd. What utter dimwits. My $$$ is on the table. I betting most of my assets — my ass, for short — on AAPL and against the naysayers.
When Apple becomes the #1 business school example on how to succeed — give it 5 to 10 years for the lesson to sink in — the anal-ists will all coo about how obvious it was. But now, most of them are clueless.
PCs Rule,
You’re right, absolutely right.
But then again, the Hapsburgs ruled major portions of Europe for almost 5 centuries . . . and many were mad as hatters. (And I’m not talking “angry” mad.)
More often than not, “ruling” = “tyranny” which is certainly the case with MonkeySee (MS). Having more experience with tyrants than has the USA, Europeans have decided to impose draconian fines on the company in order to (1) make them comply with fair business practices or (2) get the hell out.
Either way, there is no upside to MS’s present predicament in Europe. I can only hope that with an administration change in this country in a couple of years that this particular brand of Old World fever will spread to these shores.
I think people need to put the market share issue into perspective. Apple’s market shrunk when businesses began to slap cheap PC boxes on millions and millions of worker’s desks. Meaning that one person in a company would make the choice, but purchase 500 machines. These machines were part of a market that Apple was not even trying to acquire.
The bottom line is not market share, but units sold. If you were an investor, would you rather have Apple’s former high market share, or the actual number of Machines Apple now ships. My wallet says the latter.
On another note, if you want a halo effect, then Apple needs to work on the game front. Young people buy machines for games. If they get a Mac because it plays games better, they will likely begin to play with ilife, Final Cut, and they will be hooked. I am a video editor and designer today, and I attribute that to the fact that the Amiga was the best at playing games
“I can only hope that with an administration change in this country in a couple of years that this particular brand of Old World fever will spread to these shores.”
As much as I hate Microsuck, do you realize what impact it would have on the US economy if they were to just disappear? You really need to think a bit before you make such statements.
And a change in administration wouldn’t make much difference, Microsoft thrived during the Clinton years in case you’ve forgotten your recent history.
You mean the Gateway that opened its own series of stores…and failed miserably?
You been in an Apple Store lately? It’s gorgeous, well stocked…and crowded. We had a Gateway Country store not too far from us, and that place was DEAD. I thought about working there…I’d have plenty of time to do my homework…
Add me to the next quarter results. As soon as MBP’s with C2D’s are announced, I’m buying. It is time!
Reality Check . . .
Where in my post did I advocate MonkeySee going out of business? You might want to check your glasses (or reading comprehension skills) to see where this perception might have come from.
What I DID suggest is that MS should comply with the same fair business practices in this country that Europe is requiring on their side of the big pond. That is, and for example, if I want to completely remove Internet Explorer or Windows Media Player from my operating system, I should be able to do so. How radical is that?
And besides, oh astute one, if MS loses business in this country the company will NOT disappear–its customers WILL GO ELSEWHERE! I hope to Apple, of course; but possibly to Linux or some similar vendor . . . anyone but MonkeySee and the King of the Jungle, His Ballmerness.
For your historical information, RC . . . Microsoft thrived in the Clinton administration by ignoring–completely ignoring–Justice Department dicta following the supposed “settlement” between the two. JUST AS THEY’RE DOING IN EUROPE!
But it ain’t a’gonna work there, RC. There is no love lost between MS and the European Union, so–if you’re willing to apologize for their monopolistic practices just because they’re an American company–be prepared for $$BILLIONS$$ to leave the great Northwest and head to the EU on a yearly basis.
“As much as I hate Microsuck, do you realize what impact it would have on the US economy if they were to just disappear?”
About a 30% boost in productivity? Corresponding savings in the expense of managing IT infrastructure? Just off the top of my head…
Yawn — Apple sells 4 computers thereby doubling its marketshare. Big deal. Dell sells more computers in a day then Apple sells in a year. Everyone wants Microsoft Windows rather than bloated and overpriced OSX. Why purchase an operating system that has no software and is the swiss cheese of security because the hackers are just waiting to attack? There is a reason that Microsoft has 90% of the market and it is because they produce the best operating system on the planet. It can be trusted in the corporate world and is used by students everywhere.
Macs may be useful for graphics design, but who needs a single use computer? Just get a real computer from HP or Dell running Windows and you can do anything you want.
It is unfortunate that people will say anything to get this turkey of a stock back up. People have lost more money in this stock then people did in the 1929 stock crash.
Ahem…
“Yawn — Apple sells 4 computers thereby doubling its marketshare.”
LIE.
“Big deal. Dell sells more computers in a day then Apple sells in a year.”
LIE.
“Everyone wants Microsoft Windows rather than bloated and overpriced OSX.”
LIE.
“Why purchase an operating system that has no software and is the swiss cheese of security because the hackers are just waiting to attack?”
LIE.
“There is a reason that Microsoft has 90% of the market and it is because they produce the best operating system on the planet.”
LIE.
“It can be trusted in the corporate world and is used by students everywhere.”
LIE.
“Macs may be useful for graphics design, but who needs a single use computer? Just get a real computer from HP or Dell running Windows and you can do anything you want.”
LIE. Apples aren’t single-use computers, and never have been.
“It is unfortunate that people will say anything to get this turkey of a stock back up. People have lost more money in this stock then people did in the 1929 stock crash.”
LIE.
Wow, I think you win the world record there, MacRealist, for creating the longest post that consists of nothing but lies. Do much work for the DNC? You seem to have the big lie and the little lie one-two punch down to a science.
Funny, Mac Realist, your post sounds familiar. Hmmmm, I know I’ve heard it before….What was your name, again, before you changed it to Mac Realist.
MacRealist has been outed, he’s actually Steve “Monkeyboy” Ballmer.
Only Monkeyboy could be that stupid and remain that loyal to Micro$oft. The rest of the world is catching on quick.
MacRealist has been outed–he’s actually Steve “Monkeyboy” Ballmer.
Only Monkeyboy could be that stupid and remain that loyal to Micro$oft. The rest of the world is catching on quick.
OK, “Realist,” your true Trollness finally oozes out . . . or is it just your unique and unrestrained sense of humor?
OS X “bloated”? HYSTERICAL!
OS X the “swiss cheese of security”? BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! My sides are hurting! You’re a riot!
“Windows in the best operating system on the planet.” Guffaw, guffaw! And which planet might that be?
“Macs are a single-use computer”! Oh, please stop, please, please stop! As I gasp and chortle through that one, I thought Macs could run ANY operating system, from Windows to OS X to Linux. How many can Dulls run? (Before they catch on fire, of course.)
“People have lost more money in this stock then [sic] people did in the 1929 stock crash.” Oh god, I can’t breathe! (By the way, “then” does not equal “than.”) Between gasps . . . MonkeySoft’s market cap is presently $243.2 Billion, down from $343 Billion five years ago. Somebody, somewhere lost $100 Billion with this turkey. AAPL, on the other hand is presently valued at $57.9 Billion, up from $12.3 Billion five years ago, for a net GAIN of $45 Billion. (DELL = $49.5 Billion right now.)
Hmmm.
How can anyone lose money by holding onto a stock like AAPL?
But–please-don’t ever stop coming to this site and posting your raucous one-liners. If laughter truly IS the best medicine, we all should start calling you “Dr. Mac Realist”!
I just noticed that “MacRealist” began his last post with a yawn.
We all know that yawns are caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain.
Bet he yawns all the time.
PC Rule said: “Just think, with a few more phenomenal, miraculous, unbelievable years and Apple might catch up to Gateway!”
MDN, can you please either license or develop your own Digg web 2.0 forum technology so we can mod down these dumb ass, worthless comments?
Thanks in advance!
Mac Realist,
Dell = 16% World Market Share
Apple = 2% World Market Share
Dell only sells 8 times what Apple does.
Dell sells more computers in 2 months, 50 days or 7 weeks all would have worked.
What you said was only out by an order of magnitude. I guess when trolling the truth is ignored.
Why did none of the analysts also mention that Apple now has a staggering 12% of the laptop market? Doubled from 6% in January.
12% market share. That’s the statistic that really stands out here, as laptops increasingly become the prefered choice of computer over desktops amongst consumers.