VARs spot opportunities as Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard launch looms

“There’s buzz in the Macintosh community that Apple may release the next version of its Mac OS X operating system, code-named Leopard, as early as next month, which solution providers say could put Apple in a position to take advantage of dissatisfaction with Microsoft’s Windows Vista,” Edward F. Moltzen reports for CRN.

Moltzen reports, “An Apple spokeswoman declined to address speculation on some Web sites and in some Web forums that the Cupertino, Calif., company may start shipping Leopard as early as March. Apple has spent more than a month providing extensive, secret briefings on Leopard to developers and solution providers, but the company is sticking to its line that Leopard would ship sometime in the spring. Leopard will mark Apple’s first new OS release since the company switched to the Intel platform from PowerPC chips.”

“Apple is coming off a strong year. In 2006, the company it grew its U.S. computer shipments by more than 30 percent and its U.S. market share from 3.7 percent to 5.1 percent, according to research firm Gartner. That growth occurred during Apple’s transition to Intel processors, even though significant Mac applications — such as Adobe’s Creative Suite — weren’t yet optimized for the Mac-Intel platform. So whether Leopard ships in March or June, Apple channel partners say they think the strong growth path will continue,” Moltzen reports.

Full article here.

Related article:
Report: Apple to release Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard as early as end of March – February 19, 2007

17 Comments

  1. Uhh, what are the VARs? What are the opportunities? Surely the point of the article isn’t, “a new OS is coming out and it should make people interested.” Because that wouldn’t be any point at all.

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  2. Is March not considered spring?

    all these people keep making it sound like spring is May, then saying ooh it’s going to be released early than stated, but just like every other article they quote that apple still sticking to Spring release.

    WTF?

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  3. “Apple is coming off a strong year. In 2006, the company it grew its U.S. computer shipments by more than 30 percent and its U.S. market share from 3.7 percent to 5.1 percent, according to research firm Gartner. That growth occurred during Apple’s transition to Intel processors, even though significant Mac applications — such as Adobe’s Creative Suite — weren’t yet optimized for the Mac-Intel platform.”

    I must say, I don’t think the world gives Apple enough credit for growing market share during a period of transition when everyone thought they’d be traveling in the opposite direction. I often forget that part myself.

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  4. College spring break is traditionally held in the month of March which signify the break in the middle of spring semester. However, it is the attitude of breaking in southern climates makes one think that spring has arrive and therefore, spring does arrive in March.

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