“Much, if not all, of the attention regarding Apple has been focused on the iPhone… Certainly the iPhone is relevant to Apple’s performance, but ostensibly it’s the Macintosh computers that will have the most impact. Specifically, the Mac’s ability to run Windows natively has the potential to be a colossal catalyst for boosting Mac market share,” Turley Muller writes for Seeking Alpha.
“Apple released Bootcamp, which allows Mac users to install and run Windows just like one would on a PC. Apple’s new OS, OS X 10.5 “Leopard”, slated for release this November will include Bootcamp software. Additionally, third party software [Parallels Desktop for Mac and VMWare Fusion] allows users to run Windows and Mac OS simultaneously,” Muller writes.
“The Windows capability has not yet been aggressively publicized by Apple, and analysts and investors have been relatively quiet on this issue. Yet, for more than two decades, the lack of Windows compatibility has been the primary reason behind consumers’ decision to NOT purchase a Mac computer. Now that Windows can be installed on Macs, sales could really explode. I believe that this aspect of Apple should garner more attention,” Muller writes.
Apple has “enormous room for potential growth from seizing share from the Windows PC makers- Dell et al.,” Muller writes. “Why would someone choose a Dell or Gateway when they can buy a Mac, and not lose Windows functionality, yet gain all the benefits of Mac OS? I think that is a very central question. Especially since Mac prices have become more competitive.”
“We have seen a dramatic increase in Mac sales and market share, yet I perceive the general consumer is unaware of the Windows capability. I am confident that when a more aggressive publicity campaign occurs, Mac sales will react robustly,” Muller writes. “Just from anecdotal evidence, people I have surveyed exhibit little awareness. Eventually that will change with time, and the impact on Apple’s revenues will be much greater than the iPhone or iPod… It’s not unreasonable to predict that Apple can progress to 10% share soon.”
Much more in the full article here.