“The company is the undefeated king of cool in the consumer electronics and home computer markets. It is rapidly gaining yardage in the broader personal computing market and is experiencing a resurgence of popularity in traditional Macintosh niches such as education, marketing and creative departments,” Mitchell reports.
“With all of this momentum, you’d think that the Mac might be ready for a come-from-behind win in the enterprise. But on that field of play, Apple remains 1st and 10 at its own 10-yard line,” Mitchell reports.
“That’s ironic, because corporate interest in a broader role for Macs is up dramatically among IT executives, driven by changes in what the Mac has to offer, by Apple’s success in the consumer market and its other niches, and by corporate trends where, thanks to virtualization and a migration to Web-based applications, Windows’ grip on the desktop may be starting to loosen just a bit,” Mitchell reports.
“There’s just one problem. ‘Apple will tell you that they are focused on [the commercial business market], but at the end of the day, it’s not a big priority for them,” says David Daoud, an analyst at IDC,'” Mitchell reports.
“The Mac attraction is easy to understand. On the client side, the Mac’s OS X is relatively easy to use. The addition of new features in the latest Leopard release — such as the slick Time Machine backup utility and Spaces, which lets users create multiple, task-centric virtual desktops — only serves to burnish that reputation,” Mitchell reports. “And Macs are considered more stable than Windows, with fewer spyware and virus problems, which translate into fewer help desk calls.”
“But that’s not what has IT’s attention,” Mitchell reports. “The surge of interest in the Mac is a direct result of two developments from 2006: first, the evolution of more Windows-friendly, Intel X86-based Macs, and second, the introduction of Boot Camp, which allows a full Windows environment and its complement of applications to run natively in a separate hard drive partition on any Mac.”
“Although it’s common for IT to be slow to adopt a new version of Windows, a recent survey of 961 IT professionals working in small, midsize and large companies by King Research — commissioned by desktop management tool vendor KACE Networks Inc. — shows that some organizations may be considering doing what was once unthinkable, abandoning Windows altogether rather than investing the time and money into a Vista migration,” Mitchell reports. “More specifically, 44% of respondents said they would consider an alternative to a Vista migration. Of those, 28% said the Mac would be their first choice. Surprisingly, the results were similar whether respondents worked for large companies or smaller ones.”
Much more in the extensive full article here.
Enterprise buys 10-20,000 to 100,000’s of computers at a time.
They might not need to have each machine fully spec-ed out with every feature. Why have firewire when it’s just a dumb terminal? So that’s another thing that needs improvement. As well as a lot larger computer line.
Alternatively, if you want a dumb terminal approach, go and do some research on AquaConnect which is effectively Terminal Services for Macintosh running from Mac OS X Server.
Or if you want to learn how to enable the security options in MacOS so that the unit can’t be booted from a CD/DVD or an external FireWire disk, do some research.
For instance, matte screens.
Glossy is good for consumers, but pros on a machine all day overwhelmingly prefer matte. That why Apple only offers matte in the Pro lines.
So buy a Mac Mini and combine it with a display that suits your needs as regards size, quality, refresh rate, finish, I/O connectivity.
Enterprise needs top notch service and Apple doesn’t seem to be able to handle the consumer demand it has created as it is.
Utter crap! I had a problem with a Leopard install (access privileges on external FireWire drives) on one of my systems and a simple phone call to AppleCare landed up with me speaking to someone who fixed my problem in ten seconds on a Monday morning.
Apple is green and growing, they will have to get better at a lot of things fast to meet enterprises needs.
How about Microsoft get better at some things at the same time? How about they stop tying everything to Windows Server, Active Directory and .NET? Why are they so frightened of competition? If Exchange is so good, why not make it available to customers using Mac OS X Server? Why does everything have to be tied together using ActiveX (another proprietary solution)?
If you have a 20,000 seat company, your bill for client access licenses (Windows Server/Exchange/Sharepoint/SMS/SQL Server) is very likely to exceed $7 million every two years. Sounds a little rich for my blood. And that’s before you actually pay the server license costs.
And when we talk about Apple making its hardware more modular, how about Microsoft do the same thing with its software. Why should a SME client with between 100 and 500 seats have to pay for a whole load of “bundled” functionality in Exchange Server that they will never, ever use?
And why does a Windows customer who wishes to deploy more than 16GB of RAM in a server have to pay something like 2.5 times the amount for a license against someone using 16GB or less?
I don’t mind critics holding Apple to a higher standard, what I don’t get is why Microsoft gets a pass to live to a lower standard. Surely software that is late, slow, expensive to implement (and even more expensive to support) whilst delivering little in helping the competitiveness of companies in North America and Europe deserves a little more criticism than whether iMacs have a glossy screen.
.
Not while Picard is in command.
Maybe they should start with a shuttle craft and work up.
@ Ampar
DRAT!!! You beat me to the Star Trek gag.
KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!
Secrecy… yeah,
Since Apple is a innovative company, having code names with new projects in development is similar to Intel. If the corporate worlds IT departments fears secrecy, they need only to look at their own companies to understand things better. Damn, buy machines and replace them every four years. Make some strategy that is comfortable with Apples hardware development release times. Very lame excuse – sorry.
not licensing DRM… like so,
DRM is not for everyone. Apple is against it for music. To license this out, places the protection in a vulnerable position; one that would be broken or misused. I really, can not see this being an issue for IT departments not using the mac platform.
software partnerships… pardon moi,
Apple made several partnerships in software. And today they are fairly healthy. Yet, the dominance of Windows made software developers flee to where the larger market was. Adobe is a good example when they chose to develop for PC first then Mac. The market eroded Apples partnerships due to the amount of sales and interest. Hence, Apple required to develop more of it’s own software to stay afloat. iLife, Safari, iWorks – perhaps Apple doesn’t need to partner with software co. Now, if you are speaking about some custom software developers say for banking. I still don’t see your point.
The corporate IT industry is the problem. As they are the ones to recommend all the options to their offices through research that should all be presented to the corporation. Sure the Co. has final say. And perhaps, all leans to Windows in the end. But the tide for this is changing. Linux is a FABULOUS alternative to IT departments. ANd so should Apple be.
WELL SAID…
“IT managers are all MS trained and aren’t that open to switching “
that is the trouble.
The big problem I have with these articles is explained with the added graph. These people are showing alternatives for Windows and they put down Macintosh with Linux Distros. A Macintosh is a computer not an OS, they should put down Mac OS X or some other replacement names for the linux distros.
I don’t like people mixing up a computer(hardware) with an OS(Software).
C1: I noticed you have a shadow on these threads. Two more and it could get explosive.
Love it…
@MCCFR
” don’t get is why Microsoft gets a pass to live to a lower standard. Surely software that is late, slow, expensive to implement (and even more expensive to support) whilst delivering little in helping the competitiveness of companies in North America and Europe deserves a little more criticism “
Corporations are just WAKING UP my friend.
They have been milked too long. Not saying that Apple wouldn’t get greedy… but they sure do offer a bang for the buck. And the IT guys know it… they just don’t all trust change. Fear.
Now, there are… yes plenty of IT departments adim. MACS.
Many doing both MAC / WIN… then there are the dinosaurs who still trust and accept the cow for the milk.
@bobwills is still king
what are you doing here? its too funny
Capt, Kirk does his best Phil Hartman
http://www.wired.com/gadgets/miscellaneous/multimedia/2008/01/gallery_vintage_ads?slide=8&slideView=2
“Surely software that is late, slow, expensive to implement (and even more expensive to support) whilst delivering little in helping the competitiveness of companies in North America and Europe deserves a little more criticism”
Of course it does.
And stop calling me Shirley.
@ Ampar
Hardly even a shadow. More like a fart in the wind.
Apple in enterprise makes no sense today. Why poke a skunk?
Microsoft has bamboozled the industry into monopoly in the “business” category. They sit complacently in that niche and make disatrous forays into gaming, phones, mp3 players, etc. All their profits go down this drain.
If Apple were to go down this path, it would be a bruising battle. Why not just invent a new market for consumers? That is easy foe Apple and impossible for MSFT.
Why poke a skunk?
Apple’s OS is ready for enterprise. Apple’s hardware is not.
Without an expandable mini-tower that fits in between the consumer model (i.e. iMac) and the ultra-powerful model (MacPro) there is no real desktop device that enterprise would consider a optimal buy.
“Why poke a skunk?”
Because you’ve run out of ones and decent tequila?
Many businesses are moving from desktop units to laptops, and can handle all their business needs on laptops. Apple does not need expandable desktops in the product line for average business applications.
As far as the service goes, last week I dropped off a macbook with a dead disk drive at the local Apple store and had it back the next day.
Well, that’s what the bottom-shelf tequila is for. (Hey, we’ve all been there.)
(Props to zero Patriots-bashing in the thread!)
Err, Macintosh is the OS, not the hardware!
Right?!?
We’re running *Mac* Operating System 10, on computer hardware made by Apple.
“Macintosh” the name they gave the GUI the computer runs.
Let me see if anyone has even thought of this:
Does Apple WANT enterprise?
Enterprise customers wants what Apples won’t give, my precious:
• They want road maps.
No company is going to send their IT men down to SF to see the latest shiny new stuff, or base their business decisions on AppleInsider rumors.
• They want appropriate hardware.
Some kind of serviceable mini-tower in between the (non-support-friendly) iMac or the (even-less-support-friendly) mini and the outlandish MacPro for example.
Do you really think IT people want to deal with all-in-one computers or little baby computers you need a freaking putty knife to get into??
Think again.
• They want service.
That means 24/7. Not 9-5 Cupertino time service.
Apple’s ratings are top **among consumers** but they have a notorious ‘screw you’ attitude to business.
Apple needs to dance to IT’s tune, not the other way around.
Nothing they have done (Xserve included) shows any interest whatsoever in enterprise, so why do people still insist it *should* be a goal?
We’re at 23 years or so and counting. Apple has not attacked enterprise so far and I don’t think it ever will.
@ BobWillsIsStillTheKing:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Oh yeah and HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
That was awesome!!!!!
And I head an IT Dept. Have a corner office overlooking the mountains and ocean in Vancouver. Huge glass windows. Work all day on a MacBook Pro with a Glossy Screen and it is utterly brilliant. I cannot understand why IT or other workers (short of designers/photographers – I get that one folks) wouldn’t want a glossy screen. Anyways, my two bits! Cheers!
Here is my theory.
Apple is pursuing the enterprise market by not pursuing the enterprise market!
In the dating world, the “hard to get” strategy is usually quite effective in snagging someone you really want. Rather than pursuing a babe, you let them know that you really aren’t interested in them and have other ways you prefer to spend your time. This usually causes the babe or the hunk (for you woman and gay guy readers out there) to not only pursue you, but to put extraordinary effort into pursuing you.
Now while Apple is being real aloof with the enterprise market and seemingly shows no interest in it, Apple is creating a computer universe that will serve enterprise far better than MS. Look at Leopard Server and XServe and ZFS and UNIX certification of Leopard. These are not things needed by the consumer market, but they are critical pieces to conquering the enterprise market.
Apple could be just gathering all the weapons it needs to take over the enterprise market and waiting for the market to come to them. Remember, Apple doesn’t push products (e.g., iPhone and iPod) as much as create something great and then let the market pursue them.
This could be the reason OS X is named after a family of animals that hide in the grass until the time is right and then pounce on its prey.
Stop being such a cry baby
“And Macs are considered more stable than Windows, with fewer spyware and virus problems, which translate into fewer help desk calls.”
It’s good that the tide is turning, but who the hell thinks *ZERO* viruses is “fewer’? Why is it so hard to convince people that spyware and viruses are simply non-existent on Mac OSX? Is the Stockholm Syndrome so entrenched vis a vis Windows that simply won’t believe that a personal computer can remain virus free with no real effort on the users part?
“As far as the service goes, last week I dropped off a macbook with a dead disk drive at the local Apple store and had it back the next day.”
Good for you
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” /> When you have some experience with enterprise computing (which is what this thread is about) somebody may listen to you.
For instance, Apple does not license a DRM solution, for libraries and such that are allowed to have copyrighted works on their computers, but need to protect it from being mass copied.
What the Hell are you talking about? When did Libraries start ripping music?