Why Apple Is Gearing Up For Windows 7 Launch
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October 22nd is when Microsoft will be launching its newest operating system, which it calls Windows 7. It is expected that consumers will be buying a lot of new computers this coming year. Since Apple picked up a lot of former PC users who were unwilling to use Vista, Apple seems to think it can once again capitalize on Windows’ weakness and the strength of its own operating system. What is expected is an advertising blitz by Apple when Windows 7 launches.
A recent article also states:
In the coming weeks, Apple is expected to hit those computer buyers with advertising aimed at luring them to its Macs. It will likely make the case that Macs are less susceptible to viruses and are best suited to its popular iPods and iPhones. And look for it to poke fun at Microsoft for making XP owners go through an arduous process to upgrade to Windows 7—one that includes backing up all their files to an external drive, reformatting their PC, and then reinstalling all of their old programs, assuming they still have the CDs. “Any user that reads all those steps is probably going to freak out. If you have to go through all that, why not just buy a Mac?” says Schiller.
No question, Microsoft and partners such as Hewlett-Packard (HP), Dell (DELL), and Acer will benefit from the Windows 7 debut. PC makers will be rolling out a raft of eye-catching new models—from $300 netbooks to sleek desktop computers with touch-sensitive screens. Microsoft downplays the hassles of upgrading to the new operating system and says most people are going to buy new PCs anyway, which means they won’t install the software themselves. “For the vast majority of people that get Windows 7, most will move to new hardware,” says Parri Munsell, Microsoft’s director for consumer product management.
PC makers are likely to benefit from their machines being much cheaper than Apple’s, especially given the soft economy. The average price of a Windows PC is $537, compared with $1,434 for a Mac, says analyst Stephen Baker of researcher PC Data. “I just don’t think you’re going to have a huge influx of people who have perfectly good XP machines deciding they need to buy an all-new Mac,” he says.
Schiller won’t say if Apple is planning to cut prices, which would certainly attract a flock of new buyers. He points out that the company already has programs for helping PC users switch; people who pay $99 a year for its One to One training program can bring their PCs to an Apple Store and have all their files transferred.
Schiller says the success of Apple’s operating system is indicative of the changing fortunes in the tech industry. While less than 20% of Windows users have moved to the three-year-old Vista, more than 70% of Mac users have upgraded to the Apple operating system introduced at about the same time. He has similar hopes for Apple’s four-month-old Snow Leopard OS. Says Schiller: “I expect Snow Leopard will have an amazing upgrade rate, and Windows 7 won’t.”
Now that Apple has increased its market share here in the U.S. to about 9.4%, one can see why Apple is poised to try and increase that share. But my crystal ball is in the shop for repairs, so predicting whether PC users will dump Windows for a Mac is hard to do.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
11 Comments
Paul Johnson
October 17th, 2009
at 9:10am
This is going to be an incremental, stopgap strategy, since Apple doesn’t have a killer application or function at this time that will justify the initial price difference between the cheapest OS X-equipped computers and Windows 7-equipped computers.
Apple and its interested programmers need the development time to reach the point when they can help the average consumer understand fully, in practice, the implications of Grand Central and related technologies for quantum leaps in what computers can do. When that happens, once again there will be obvious reasons to pay a little more for a Mac when the initial purchase is made.
Michael
October 17th, 2009
at 9:58am
Tuesday, October 20 would be great timing to release a bunch of updated Macs and drop the prices. Snow Leopard’s been out for two months, we’re about to hit 10.6.2, What better time to intro some Snow Leopard optimized hardware–quad core iMacs, low-cost Macbooks, Mac Minis, etc.
Louis Wheeler
October 17th, 2009
at 1:43pm
I think Apple will do well out of this Windows upgrade. Every time Windows users are forced to upgrade, some of them choose to go with Apple, instead.
One error the article is the use of averages, rather than comparable prices:
“The average price of a Windows PC is $537, compared with $1,434 for a Mac, says analyst Stephen Baker of researcher PC Data. “I just don’t think you’re going to have a huge influx of people who have perfectly good XP machines deciding they need to buy an all-new Mac,” he says.”
Except for the Mac Mini, Apple sells no computers below $999. Therefore, a comparison over the total product line distorts information. Apple sells over 90% of the laptops above a thousand dollars. Very inexpensive computers should not be in this average because Apple does not sell them.
If you want to buy a piece of junk that you will throw away in a year, Wintel has a wide variety to satisfy your need. If you want a serious name brand computer, then Apple computers are comparably priced. We Mac users don’t think a computer is an impulse item. We do our homework.
Neil Anderson
October 17th, 2009
at 7:56pm
Maybe Apple should initiate a clunker trade-in program.
Ron Schenone
October 18th, 2009
at 5:40am
Hi Neil,
Great idea!
But it have to be Government sponsored. LOL
Morgan Thaler
October 18th, 2009
at 6:41am
I don’t see PC users switching over to Macs in droves. The basic fact is that most human beings tend to stick with what they are familiar with. They don’t want to learn a new operating system.
On top of that, there are way more free (or pirated) applications available for Windows than there are for OS X. The same is true for add-on devices like printers, scanners, webcams, etc. If there’s only one driver for a given peripheral, it’s for Windows.
I’m a Mac user, but if I want to watch my Blu-ray movies, I have to boot into Windows. If I want to create or edit a subtitle file, I have to do that in Windows as well. Most games are run in Windows only. Though I have Office for Mac, I need Windows to work on my Access projects for home and sometimes for work.
Now I want to (legally) run Windows in addition to OS X on my Mac, I have to pay for a copy of Windows. And that I after I already paid more for my Mac than I would have for a PC.
Finally, Snow Leopard still has a lot of problems. All or most of those will be fixed when 10.6.2 comes out. But it doesn’t or if it comes out after the release of Windows 7, it is possible that Windows 7 might actually run smoother than OS X.
Now don’t get me wrong, while I’m running applications in OS X on my Mac it is a better user experience (in my opinion). But Owning a Mac is a luxury that many people can’t afford. And the advantages are not compelling enough to get a significant chunk of PC users to switch to Macs.
Bryan Broussard
October 19th, 2009
at 7:16am
i agree with Morgan Thaler’s view on the Mac / MS differences.
Louis Wheeler tend to come off as a Mac snob. Just because someone may buy a laptop under $1000, does nor mean that they are just going to throw it away after a year. Al it means is that they now how to find value! Apple may sell 90% of the laptops over $1000, but they only have 9% of the market. That is because people like value for their money.
VT
October 19th, 2009
at 11:46am
sorry but id dont reckon windows 7 has any flaws wen sp1 come to the system it will be extra features sake not bcoz there is a problems
apple have won against vista but not gonna win against windows 7
Andrew
October 19th, 2009
at 11:54am
Awesome blog, IMO mac users love their macs for various reasons and require macs regardless of the comparisons between mac and pcs. For example, i only use macs at school since i dont have to pay for them and they do a great job for video editing, data analysis, and some play time. However when it comes to home use, i can build a stronger machine with more hdd space, more memory which will support more of my specific home software for A LOT LESS. So if you are not childish about mac vs pc, you can agree that they each have their own purpose.
Macs are also know for their “mac experience” which starts from the box they arrive in to the fancy intro they display before you can even use them. I will admit that physically speaking macbooks are military grade (unibody alloy) vs. the pc competition which seems to have been more fragile with age.
Bottom line, if you can afford it and it works for you, mac is the way to go. if you want more performance and dont exactly care about the box/pretty os colours, then PC is for you.
Funny side note, one of our labs was broken into one night, 2 computers were stolen, both were macbook pros, and pc laptops and desktops were also present but untouched by the thieves. Shows you how even thieves know to steal macs now, so i guess Microsoft also has inherently built in security features, i think the vista sticker scared them away (LOL).
From the WhatIThinkE show, this is andrew signing off
Over and OUT
JonnyPaula
October 19th, 2009
at 12:36pm
I’m sorry, Louis Wheeler - but “do your homework”? Haha. It’s either “MacBook Pro” or “MacBook” … a lot of choices there! I think it’s also a bit presumptuous of you to assume that PC users buy computers on impulses…
Seriously though… Macs are not “comparably” priced… they’re overpriced. Sure - they’re fine machines, and they run smooth. But so does the PC I own that cost 1/3rd the cost of a similar MacPro. Don’t make statements that are mostly unfounded.
People on the internet might believe you!
- Jon
John Doe
October 22nd, 2009
at 9:36pm
If the price of Apples would come down would buy one. Although, I would make it a dual-boot computer. If the hard drive was a 320gb, I would partition it 80gb and 240gb. Of course 80gb for X and 240 for Windows 7. I really like the hardware but the software needs to go. If Apple and Microsoft would team up, then they might have something. lol