Windows 7 And The Bad Economy

[Barman58]

Latest Sales figures show Apple sales falling ...

http://www.lockergnome.com/eksodos/2009/03/20/windows-7-and-the-bad-economy-will-kill-apple-sales/

Windows 7 And The Bad Economy Will Kill Apple Sales

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer believes the bubble is about to burst on Apple in a big way as the global economy continues to suffer a synchronized meltdown.


Apple has racked up some impressive sales numbers in recent years on the back of the success of its iPod and iPhone products in the consumer space. However, with confidence shattered, job losses mounting, tightening credit markets, and fear engulfing the purchasing decisions of consumers and corporations alike - luxury purchases are increasingly looking a thing of the past.


“Apple gained about one point, but now I think the tide has really turned back the other direction,” Ballmer said in a Webcast earlier this week. “The economy is helpful. Paying an extra $500 for a computer in this environment — same piece of hardware — paying $500 more to get a logo on it? I think that’s a more challenging proposition for the average person than it used to be.”

Full Story ....

Windows 7 And The Bad Economy Will Kill Apple Sales ~ Tackling Technology

 

[swarfega]

He could be right because Apple charge over the odds for their stuff

 

[garysgold]

I think it depends a lot on how long the economy is down. Apple won't go out of business, but market share will drop if the economy stays bad long enough. Most apple fans will simply put off buying a new comp. rather than give up their OS. They mention that Apple is down 16.7%, but no mention of how much MS is down. There have been MS layoffs so things must be down considerably there also.

 

[Barman58]

Hello Swarf
Hello Gary,

The strange thing is that In the same period quoted in this article PC sales actually rose - I did actually post the details in answer to another post but can't find my source at the moment. Of course PC doesn't mean Microsoft directly but in real terms good for PC is Good for MS

 

[Barman58]

There we go I found the other source for recent Financial Info ...


Microsoft Watch - Marketing - 'I'm a PC' Marketing Pays Off for Microsoft, OEMs

 

[garysgold]

Hi Nigel,

Thanks for reminding me. I had forgotten about that. A senior moment. The graphics there look very good for MS. I think the final release of W7 will also give PC sales a boost. Market share wise, I'm thinking PC's will gain back the losses of the recent past and then some. As the article says, no netbook for Apple will cost them in this economy. Most people don't need a powerhouse machine to surf the net and send email. If I didn't want to do video editing, I would probably still be using W2K on my old machine. It did what I wanted otherwise. Had to reboot it more than Vista or 7, but that wasn't a big enough problem to spend $1000+ to fix.

 

[Barman58]

The Apple enthusiasts will buy Apple kit as long as Apple make it, and the Apple haters will never buy from them.

Where the swing to apple has occurred in the past year or so is with the people who just want a computer and Apple's marketing both, positive and by association with the iPod and iPhone, and negative anti Vista have been effective.

Now that money is tighter and the positive windows 7 buzz is starting to get into the wider world I think that Apple will fall back to their "normal" niche market share.

Apple themselves don't class themselves as a Computer company anymore but as a consumer electronics manufacturer so I suppose that indicates what apple consider their most important product iPod & iPhone

Time will tell

 

[bossmayank619]

Well in Microsoft Vs Apple or i would say Windows Vs Mac we should not forget the open source.

French police: we saved millions of euros by adopting Ubuntu

A recent report has revealed that France's national police force has saved an estimated 50 million euros since 2004 by adopting open source software and migrating a portion of the organization's workstations to Ubuntu Linux. They plan to roll out the Linux distro to all 90,000 of their workstations by 2015.


Source : French police: we saved millions of euros by adopting Ubuntu - Ars Technica


Looks like the open source wonder is already saving millions in this bad economic times.

 

[jimbo45]

Some Netbooks are even given away "FREE" (provided you take out a 3-G mobile connect phone subscription). These "Free netbooks" are usually (but not always) windows XP equipped.

"Free" of course is not quite "Free" but there are some good deals to be had like this -- and of course you can get incredibly cheap hardware "if you roll your own".

With Apple -- it's usually buy it as it comes or "Tough Womens Body parts" .

Have to say just for great LOOKS Apple does a grand job but if you need something Cheap and functional Windows has it --and in this market that is what counts.

Apple won't go out of business -- same way as Ferrari won't either but both will be "Niche Players".

Cheers

(OT -- Man United messed it up big time again today -- Now Liverpool have a REAL chance on Sunday to catch up)


jimbo

 

[Lordbob75]

Apple makes some great products, but ruins it by charging about 500% what it is worth. If you compare a PC and a Mac with the same specs (give or take a little) and the PC is not made by Dell, then the Mac is DEFINITELY more expensive. (varies)

I didn't actually do the math (too lazy to really look), but if someone wants to check it out, please let me know (or I will let you know if I get around to doing it).

While I use an iPod Touch and its GREAT, I did jailbreak it so I can get something really good on it. The App Store kind of sucks.
Good music player too.

~Lordbob

 

[aoneofakind]

I wouldn't doubt it!

Apple products are over-priced and OS X doesn't have half the options as a Windows machine does. The only products that have EVER had any advantage over a competing product would be their iPod line... They take portable music too a whole new level.

As far as computers are, leave it at Windows. Although the fact I want to become a DJ I'm purchasing an OS X computer from Apple in the near future, their a lot better for music production and such from what I've heard.

Still,
Being 15 and knowing the difference between the Apple Computers and the Generic Windows Computers, you gotta compare. It'd be a whole different game if they put OS X and such on regular PC's but nope, you need to pay extra for a crappy computer that isn't even as easily upgraded as the next.

 

[baarod]

I use Windows for precisely the opposite reasons that Mac users use Macs. I like to fiddle with my computer. I don't want to have to buy peripherals and software from Apple. I like finding the best hardware to go with the best software for the best price and making it all work together. I will confess that I have purchased hardware that I knew in advance had quality software and drivers over another cheaper and perhaps better (at least on the spec sheet) option. So in that regard I am paying some homage to the OS I've chosen. There's more software choice for Windows which doesn't necessarily mean better software than Apple but statistically would indicate a tendency there toward. There are definitely less costly hardware options simply because seemingly only the premium hardware brands provide Mac support that works. I don't own a console game machine. Because of that, I appreciate the gaming options available within the Microsoft ecosystem. I've been known to sneak onto a CounterStrike:Source server and pwn the k1dd13s time and again even at my relatively advanced age. I also have a constrained technology budget and an unconstrained desire for said technology. Apple choices would curtail my options and that's why I'm a PC

Oh, yeah. And I used to work as a software engineer for a top tier Apple ISV some years ago. Apple would think nothing of screwing the their ISVs whenever they got the chance as they, at least at that time, saw us as "leeches" and "meddlers". The only righteous choice comes from Apple or Adobe and if you can't do what you want with the solutions available there you probably shouldn't be doing it anyway.

 

[Lordbob75]

I wouldn't doubt it!

Apple products are over-priced and OS X doesn't have half the options as a Windows machine does. The only products that have EVER had any advantage over a competing product would be their iPod line... They take portable music too a whole new level.

As far as computers are, leave it at Windows. Although the fact I want to become a DJ I'm purchasing an OS X computer from Apple in the near future, their a lot better for music production and such from what I've heard.

Still,
Being 15 and knowing the difference between the Apple Computers and the Generic Windows Computers, you gotta compare. It'd be a whole different game if they put OS X and such on regular PC's but nope, you need to pay extra for a crappy computer that isn't even as easily upgraded as the next.

They are known as multimedia computers (video and picture editing) but they don't do much else..... :sarc:

And you can put OSx on your PC with a Virtual PC. That way you can use a REAL computer to work on.

~Lordbob

 

[ChudaPati09]

Ya Apple is overpriced,
But look at what they're giving you.
Top of the line equipment.
But what really sells a Mac is, just the whole Mac.

You see, OS X was put on a Mac and Mac only, so apple knew what kind of OS they should be making. They knew what drivers OS X was going to use and wasn't. They knew if OS X was capable of running on that machine.
So with that they gave a stable OS and a computer.
This also gives better Customer Support.
So much less headaches.

But if Microsoft did the same thing, I'm sure they would have a really good OS and computer.
Vista isn't so bad, I was using it, until I switched to Windows 7.
Sure there were some bugs, but i didn't find much that really annoyed me.
But I have had friends that bought PCs with Vista built into, where as the Machine shouldn't be running XP.

I think that is one of the major reasons why Vista didn't work for most people.
Microsoft didn't know what drivers were need so they just threw them all into the installation, and they didn't know what computer Vista was going to be installed on.

I heard rumors of Microsoft Stores, don't know if its true, or if they are going to start making they're own computers, but they should really start thinking of it.

 

[Lordbob75]

Ya Apple is overpriced,
But look at what they're giving you.
Top of the line equipment.
But what really sells a Mac is, just the whole Mac.

You see, OS X was put on a Mac and Mac only, so apple knew what kind of OS they should be making. They knew what drivers OS X was going to use and wasn't. They knew if OS X was capable of running on that machine.
So with that they gave a stable OS and a computer.
This also gives better Customer Support.
So much less headaches.

But if Microsoft did the same thing, I'm sure they would have a really good OS and computer.
Vista isn't so bad, I was using it, until I switched to Windows 7.
Sure there were some bugs, but i didn't find much that really annoyed me.
But I have had friends that bought PCs with Vista built into, where as the Machine shouldn't be running XP.

I think that is one of the major reasons why Vista didn't work for most people.
Microsoft didn't know what drivers were need so they just threw them all into the installation, and they didn't know what computer Vista was going to be installed on.

I heard rumors of Microsoft Stores, don't know if its true, or if they are going to start making they're own computers, but they should really start thinking of it.

First off, Apple computers are NOT made top of the line. Get over it. (Not saying that M$ computers are any better, and some are worse)

Second, they released Vista too early. Their driver data base was not as built up as it should have been, and there were other problems that are resolved in Seven (often Seven is viewed as what Vista SHOULD have been).

Third, the M$ Store, (I think) is true? I have heard it too, but I don't remember.

~Lordbob

 

[smarteyeball]

First off, Apple computers are NOT made top of the line.

+1 They can be high-end, but do not enjoy a cutting edge monopoly.

Second, they released Vista too early.

Announced it far too early, promised too much and then delivered too little upon release


Even though Apple Computing products are ridiculously overpriced, they kind of have to be. They have to make the same amount of money from one customer that MS makes off two. (you get the idea )

A bad economy will only put a temporary dent in sales.

 

[angryman]

Macs look nice, but its about time people saw them for what they are. I've never been interested in their hardware due to the fact I could build the same PC for far cheaper.

But, I don't see them vanishing, people like them too much, and aside from their PC side of things, the iPod will keep them alive if nothing else.