“Apple’s Mac computers have advanced to a new high in worldwide market share, taking a small but significant bite out of Microsoft (MSFT) Windows, according to data on the website of analytics firm Net Marketshare and echoed by StatCounter Global Stats,” J. M. Manness writes for Seking Alpha.
March 2014 market share:
• NetMarketShare:
– Windows: 89.96%
– Mac: 8.16%
• StatCounter:
– Windows: 89.22%
– Mac: 8.34%
“since the advent of the iPod back in 2001, Apple’s Macintosh computer line has been slowly reasserting itself, driven by the “halo effect” first of the iPod, then the iPhone and iPad,” Manness writes. “Clearly, when people were introduced to one of the company’s personal iDevices, they became more open to trying the computers, and global share has more than doubled since 2007 [3.74%, NetMarketShare].”
“For the first time in decades, Microsoft machines have fallen below the 90% mark,” Manness writes. “The big question is: Does 90% represent some sort of psychological mark? Before these new data points, other OSs could be dismissed as micro players that would never amount to much. However, as Windows dips below 90%, this is no longer so evident. Will an increasing number of people begin to question the long-held, taken for granted meme that Windows is the only real solution?”
“While the Mac line contributes only 11% of Apple’s revenue (Q1 20144) this totaled $6.4 billion last quarter and $21.5 billion in fiscal 2013. Additionally, the Macs act as an anchor for all the other products. The iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) all work best when paired with a Mac. Together they form the most compelling ‘ecosystem’ in the industry,” Manness writes. “The Macs will continue to grow market share, particularly as the value proposition becomes more evident in the business world. While Macs may be more expensive to purchase initially, generally they last a lot longer, have much higher resale value, and typically require a fraction of the maintenance of time/cost of Windows counterparts. This is one reason that Google has changed almost exclusively to Macs.”
Manness writes, “In my opinion, Microsoft has a real problem here.”
Read more, and see the graphs, in the full article – recommended – here.
MacDailyNews Take:
As we have always said, even as many short-sightedly waved (and continue to wave) the white flag, the war is not over. And, yes, we shall prevail… No company is invincible. Not even Microsoft. – MacDailyNews Take, January 10, 2005