“My Web reading this week produced three tantalizing bits of Apple news that may have big implications for where Apple is going in the not-so-distant future,” Carl Howe writes for Blackfriar’s Marketing.
Howe’s three tantalizing bits of Apple news:
1. Apple’s new Mac Pros are now dramatically cheaper than comparable Dell Precision desktops: Apple is working hard on eliminating business objections to buying their gear. One of those objections was always price, and the myth that Apple’s products were more expensive than PCs was always fueled by the fact different processors and components were being compared. Well, now those days are over.
2. Virtualization is good for more things than running Windows on Mac OS X — it works the other way around as well: virtualization can and has allowed Mac OS X to run on non-Apple hardware. While I don’t expect this to be a mainstream application, it means there’s a very interesting “try before you buy Apple” marketing opportunity to businesses. Apple could give a business considering buying XServes a VMware image of Mac OS X to try out on their existing Windows or Linux servers. They can test software and compatibility features of the system before they have to commit to lots of Apple hardware and software.
3. The DVD Copy Control Association is about to provide processes and permissions to write movies onto blank DVDs: People often forget that one of the bits that differentiated the iTunes Music Store when it launched from other online stores was that Jobs negotiated with the music studios for the rights to write CDs of purchased music. The fact that this was legal and allowed (albeit only up to four or five times) was a real breakthrough and certainly fueled iTunes music purchases.\
Full article here.
Just a note that Howe made one little mistake in his article: users can burn iTunes Music Store songs an unlimited amount of times to CDs, not “only up to four or five times.” If a playlist contains any songs purchased from the iTunes Music Store, you can burn the playlist up to seven times. Change the order of the songs and you can burn said playlist up to seven times again. And so on.
Reason #4 would be the ability to run Windows on Mac hardware. Really, it’s reason #1 why Apple is poised for future growth. We’ve gotten people to buy Macs who wouldn’t listen to a word we said for years, just because of Boot Camp (and Parallels Desktop for Mac) and the ability to bring along their “Windows Insecurity Blanket.” People think they need Windows. And that’s just fine; they’ll learn soon enough. Embrace first, then extinguish – Apple’s plan is working.
Other reasons why Apple is poised for growth include Apple’s growing network of retail stores, Windows’ continuing insecurity, and the iPod Halo Effect, to name a few biggies.
Related articles:
Hollywood Studios OK burning movie downloads – August 11, 2006
Apple Mac Pro with/ 20” Cinema Display less expensive than Dell Precision 690 sans monitor – August 10, 2006
Analyst: ‘Boot Camp Effect’ to play significant role in Apple Mac market share gains – July 10, 2006
Apple Boot Camp’s ‘Windows Insecurity Blanket’ helps buyers decide to switch to Macs – May 19, 2006
Research firm: Intel, Boot Camp powering huge Apple Mac sales surge – May 19, 2006
but does anybody know if the mac pros can use ‘standard’ graphics cards yet? ? there is a lot of speculation but if someone has tried PLEASE post apple are great other than graphics card support that sucks major ass
Reason #2 is never going to happen
Yeah, #2 is never gonna happen is right. What’s this guy smoking?
I agree – #2 makes no sense. Lending out a physical Mac would be less risky and would actually give the real experience.
“Standard graphics cards”: No, not exactly, apparently. A re-flashing would still be required (unless you’d be using it only under Windows with BootCamp, apparently).
Mac Pro – GeForce 7900GTX works in Boot Camp – Page 2 – Mac Forums
MacPros are not going to be giant sellers for Apple.
Most people want notebooks. Or iMacs.
I have to say that I appreciate MDN’s new approach to their takes. They’ve definitely toned things down over the past few days.
Normally, they would’ve ripped the writer a new one for printing the error regarding burning cd’s. This time, they pointed out the mistake and corrected it.
Now, if only they would stop posting those damn pictures of Uncle Fester anytime Ballmer is mentioned. It’s not really funny, just immature.
Growth:
– iTunes/iPod – Zune will be the last competitor to come and go, finishing the also-ran product competition, leaving iPod/iTunes poised for monopoly-like dominance at least for the next five years.
– Livingroom – iTunes/Front Row/iPod/”eMac” (entertainment Mac) will all swirl into one seamless IPTV solution with movie downloads of course.
– iPhone/Network – Should catch on with millions and millions of Mac and iPod buyers alike. Provided it does most everything well, and a few things great, 20 million subscribers will not be hard to accomplish, making Apple a major cell phone hardware and virtual network provider.
– Leopard – With either Windows API’s built-in, or at least WINE implemented for top PC games and Office, Windows is no longer needed. Apple should crush M$ with this release, especially when Vista’s additional delay into spring ’07 is going to be announced by end of September… Lepord stands in a perfect position to dominate with Mac hardware.
Allen,
I’m sorry, but I think the pictures are really, really funny. Some people do, some people don’t. Some people do, others, they won’t.
Reason #4-Vista
also, you can change the playlist and then change it right back again to the original list and keep burning it as much as you want.
Allen,
I’m sorry, but I think the pictures are really, really funny. Some people do, some people don’t. Some people do, others, they won’t.
————-
I’m sure some people do find it funny… It doesn’t change the fact that it’s a 3rd grade Elementary School tactic.
…. I don’t like you…. na na na na na…. so i’m gonna draw a funny face with your name on it….. na na na na na….
It’s downright juvenille…
Many times it is said and written here “People think they need Windows…..”…. Well I’ve got news for you. Many people do. I for one am thinking of switching to Mac but because I have a piece of software only running on Windows and for which I haven’t found a Mac alternative, I not only think I need Windows, I need Windows (sadly)….
googoo spewed — “MacPros are not going to be giant sellers for Apple. Most people want notebooks. Or iMacs.”
What part of MacPro don’t you get? MacPros are not for “most people”. They are for professionals who require high-powered computing (and maybe gamers). And those people are going to snap them up like hotcakes.
Reason #2 is very interesting though from a marketing perspective for Apple.
That’s why it’s funny, Allen.
I’ll quote Hannibal Lecter on this one: “your problem is you need to get more fun out of life.”
While the Blackfriars guy may be wrong on some of the more technical aspects, he’s been very right on the financial analysis of Apple’s earnings.
No, sorry Uncle Fester is funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny,funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny,funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny,funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny,funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny.
Did I mention it’s funny?
No, sorry Uncle Fester is funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny,funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny,funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny,funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny,funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny.
Did I mention it’s funny?
————–
Call me crazy, but I would expect nothing less than someone who goes by the name “Freddy the Pig, and writes a post like the one above to find the Uncle Fester pics funny.
Don’t ge me wrong, you know, I like a good laugh and I consider my self to have a pretty good sense of humor. I’m certainly not offended by what MDN does. I just think it’s childish and un-necessary… That’s why at times it can be difficult to carry on an intelligent conversation on these forums… MDN sets the tone for the name-calling and childish behavior of a lot of posters here… It’s definitely gotten worse over time.. And as far as I’m concerned, most of the time these discussions are an embarrasment to the Mac community. I mean, if a Windows switcher came to this site trying to get some info on Macs or Apple, I think that he might think twice about wanting to switch if the mentality of the Mac community is represented by the postings on these forums..
Reason #2 is made moot by Boot Camp. Any business can simply make the next computer they buy a Mac, and then run Windows on it if they’re not happy with OS X. Now that the Mac Pro costs less than the Dell, there’s no real objection.
If you don’t think Ballldmer is a vile disgusting pigdog who should be reviled and heaped with scorn at every chance, you should watch this 100 times and then write a report on it:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4860483760049380308
“Mac Pro costs less than the Dell, there’s no real objection.”
Throw in a monitor and the same level of service plan that you get with the Dell, Apple costs more.
Add the price of Windows as you would if you were going to legally use the machine as a Windows PC, the price difference gets greater.
Comparing the Precision 490 vs Apple you can get a win to Dell or Apple depending on exactly which options you choose. But give Dell a few weeks, they’ll no doubt revise that pricing and be cheaper across the board.
If you can “get by” with just a single processor Core2 Duo, it’s a lot cheaper.
Furthermore if you can “compromise” on a single “old” 3.2GHz pentium D, it’s less than a third of the price, all other specs the same.
What Apple really lacks is the range. Having one machine in the range which for a few weeks is cheaper than a Dell doen’t make for a sustainable pricing advantage.
Much like people crowed about how “cheap” the MacBook Pro was relative to “Similar” Dell PCs when it came out, and now the “Similar” Dell is almost half the price, this too will be responded to.
Bad bad BadComparison. You have not done your homework, had you?
Throw in a monitor and the same level of service plan that you get with the Dell, Apple costs more.
WRONG, it still costs less:
http://www.systemshootouts.org/shootouts/desktop/2006/0809_dt3200.html
AND the comparison is with a Precision 690, even.
Add the price of Windows as you would if you were going to legally use the machine as a Windows PC, the price difference gets greater.
Why? the article says “business objection”. Plenty of Windows install disks around here: they are literally thrown away.
If you can “get by” with just a single processor Core2 Duo, it’s a lot cheaper.
THEN, a Mac Mini would be even cheaper. Silly comment. If you can get by with a Pentium D, it’s a lot cheaper, so? This adds nothing to what it is stated. A Mac dual 2 Duo is cheaper under all consideration (unless you get so less with a Dell it is not even funny, it is stupid).
Furthermore if you can “compromise” on a single “old” 3.2GHz pentium D, it’s less than a third of the price, all other specs the same.
As I said above… An ‘old’ Pentium D would get trounced by a Mac Mini today and would probably run Vista like throwing up. Not that it would change the feeling with a better machine either.
Having one machine in the range which for a few weeks is cheaper than a Dell
Few weeks? LOL, Still counting. Come back when the Dell Precision 690 cost less than the Mac Pro + Cinema Display. I guess the day when MDN shuts down for good will come before.
Much like people crowed about how “cheap” the MacBook Pro was relative to “Similar” Dell PCs when it came out, and now the “Similar” Dell is almost half the price, this too will be responded to.
Still more evidence that you have not done your homework. Trouble with numbers I see:
http://www.systemshootouts.org/shootouts/laptop/2006/0424_lt2800.html
NEXT
To To bad Comparison:
Stop pulling your pud. You’re not going to beat Dell on price in the long term.
MacBook Pro from Dell approx $1200, Mac Pro from Apple $1995.
“WRONG, it still costs less:”
Add 3yr on site warranty to then Apple to match the Dell, watch it erase the $14 advantage you seem to claim.
“THEN, a Mac Mini would be even cheaper”
If it had a Core 2 Duo.
“Still counting. Come back when the Dell Precision 690 cost less than the Mac Pro + Cinema Display. I guess the day when MDN shuts down for good will come before.”
I’m using the Dell 490 and that day’s today, it’s cheaper with an Apples with Apples comparison.
As I said, stop pulling your Pud. Fight the battle on a front other than price.
The thing you have to remember is many people would rather pay 1/3 the price for 80% of the real world performance.
Hence the comment, it’s about having the range for all customers, not a few high end PC clones at the right price.