Mac Users Numbers Declining?

[HardOCP News]

Has Apple’s market share actually declined as implied by this article? The data collected comes from 40,000 web sites that are part of Net Applications network so who really knows. Even if the data is 100% accurate, I don’t think a net decline of 0.3% is anything for Apple to really worry about. Do you?

The share of PowerPC-based Macs fell, though, from 4.29% in February to 3.94% in March. That dip was not fully offset by an increase in Intel-based Mac hardware, leading to a overall net decline in Mac share of 0.3%, to 6.08% in March.

 

[-Dragon-]

Just a small mathematical note, 0.3% is 5% of 6%. While it may be a statistical anomaly, the real question is, do you think a net decline of 5% for apple is anything for them to worry about. If it were my company, I'd be worried if I lost 5% of my business.

 

[Scroatdog]

I doubt it. Power-PC Mac numbers declining is a given. Net Applications says it is getting its numbers from the browser a computer is using. Perhaps they should go back and revisit Mozilla's site. Firefox can and does run on Macs. I have it on my Powerbook. Their research is flawed.

However, I wouldn't doubt that lately the number of Macs being purchased is in decline. Ever since MacWorld (when Jobs introduced nothing having anything to do with a Mac) a lot of people (myself included) are in a "wait" mode: waiting for Leopard, waiting for refreshes to their product line (I'm sorry Mr. Jobs, putting a 3.0 gig quad core CPU in a Mac Pro is not a product refresh - its a pacifier).

Supposedly we will see product refreshes and Leopard at the WWDC. We'll see.

 

[srangara]

I'm pretty sure the browser reports the OS as well.

 

[Scroatdog]

I'm pretty sure the browser reports the OS as well.

Even still (yeah, I guess that was a brain fart), the study revolves around 40,000 websites under Net Application's purvue.

 

[idividebyzero]

Looking at the months I think it makes perfect sense. Its market share, not mac users throwing away their macs. Vista came out and probably caused a lot of people to get a PC when they didnt have one before.

Apple would only have to worry if it was .3% less mac users. But its not, its just more PC's being sold which pushes the PC percent up and the rest down. Apple is still making the same amount of money.

 

[markt435]

Just a small mathematical note, 0.3% is 5% of 6%. While it may be a statistical anomaly, the real question is, do you think a net decline of 5% for apple is anything for them to worry about. If it were my company, I'd be worried if I lost 5% of my business.

agreed...

it would really be absolutely nothing if it were windows pcs declining...cuz that happens everyday. but when your market share is so low, you need to worry about something if it even goes down 0.3%. i bet they don't care that much though. they took the computer out of their name for a reason. in the coming years i bet we'll start to see a movement away from making computers and more into devices for entertainment (i.e. iphone, apple tv, ipod). thats where they're gonna get most of their sales.

 

[M1ster_R0gers]

Has Apple’s market share actually declined as implied by this article? The data collected comes from 40,000 web sites that are part of Net Applications network so who really knows. Even if the data is 100% accurate, I don’t think a net decline of 0.3% is anything for Apple to really worry about. Do you?

I am sorry to create all of this confusion. I had my mac shut off for a few weeks. I just started it back up, that should bring the numbers back to appropriate levels.

 

[merlin747]

Crap. I'm partially to blame too... I use my work windows PC to browse during lunch but don't browse sufficiently from home on OS X apparently. I'll get back to it...

Kelly

 

[srangara]

Even still (yeah, I guess that was a brain fart), the study revolves around 40,000 websites under Net Application's purvue.

I'll be that's still statistically significant. How many people have to be polled to get a +-5% significance?

 

[Ockie]

Mac: Not all that it's cracked up to be

 

[Emission]

Well of course it's not, but it's got more than enough business to hold its own. I wouldn't be worried losing 0.3%

 

[Riddlinkidstoner]

Mac: Not all that it's cracked up to be

QFT. The price premium for Macs just don't justify purchasing one, especially with some of the applications I use I'd have to rebuy for Mac which just sucks.

If you started a Mac user though, no reason to switch to PC now.

 

[CyberDeus-RagDoll]

QFT. The price premium for Macs just don't justify purchasing one, especially with some of the applications I use I'd have to rebuy for Mac which just sucks.

If you started a Mac user though, no reason to switch to PC now.

Every day, there's another reason NOT to own a mac.

Mac's used to have a unique operating system. Now they just run a *Nix derivative.
Mac's used to have unique hardware (Power processors, etc) Now they are just overpriced dells.

Mac Only applications used to be prevalent, and they used to run faster on the mac than on the PC. Adobe will tell you how the PC is a better platform.

Up until 2 weeks ago, I owned 2 macs. Now I own 1.

50% of my mac usage has been cut.

On a whole, that means over 10% of my "market share" has switched to PC world.. (I think my numbers are right..) I used to have 10 systems.. 2 macs, 8 PC's. Now I have 9 systems, 1 mac, 8 pc's, the mac is getting replaced with a PC, but it's not yet built.
(Dual Xeon, and, if I can find it, an SLI rendering, not gaming, card solution)

 

[CyberDeus-RagDoll]

agreed...

it would really be absolutely nothing if it were windows pcs declining...cuz that happens everyday. but when your market share is so low, you need to worry about something if it even goes down 0.3%. i bet they don't care that much though. they took the computer out of their name for a reason. in the coming years i bet we'll start to see a movement away from making computers and more into devices for entertainment (i.e. iphone, apple tv, ipod). thats where they're gonna get most of their sales.

Uhm.. i'm confused.

There are PC's and there are Mac's
If mac's market share is going down, then that would mean that PC market share is going up.. What is the 3rd option that is stealing the thunder of PC's and Mac's that you are imagining to get that concept down? You do realize a Dell with Linux is still a PC, right?

unless everyone is surfing with their Wii's..... then the 100% must be wholly attributed to either "PC" or "Mac"

 

[Skrying]

Apple is a media company more than anything these days. From day one when the iPod became available for Windows I started counting down the days till Apple left the OS and OEM computer business. While it still makes up a large part (majority, likely) part of their revenue, over time I see them focusing much more on other areas. Expanding in a media front. iPod, iTunes turning into iMedia some day, etc, etc.

The fact is that Mac OS share is not growing and if anything is and has been under a slight decline for ages now. Many who want alternative OSes are giving a deep and serious look at Linux options (Ubuntu is massively popular relatively) and a community that is much larger and able to support all your needs. The Mac ecosystem is steadily crumbling and as much as Apple would like to stop it, they are on there own.

 

[merlin747]

So you were one of those who believed apple was dying back in the day, eh? ;-) Let us all bow down to Steve Balmer and the chants of "developers, developers, developers" from his glorious onstage speeches.

Seriously though, I don't believe in a halo effect for iPod users buying Macs and I don't believe that Mac market share is declining. Look at the list of websites surveyed, how many were hit during "work hours" when many people just use their corporate Windows systems...

From day one when the iPod became available for Windows I started counting down the days till Apple left the OS and OEM computer business.