Apple’s Earnings Preview: Firing On All Cylinders

Yea, so that means when ur in the airport seeing all the Mac’s, you’re probably also seeing the 8% that has the money to be willing to buy a Mac…

Please, Marginal utility gained from a Mac is much less than the marginal cost of it… Just go buy a laptop and then take the money you saved and buy an iPod…

My point on the Apple Unix was that it’s not the same as buying a Unix PC say from HP and being about to run all Unix programs on it. Apple Unix is not compatible with most Unix software.

OS X is Unix no argument there. However it’s not true Unix in the fact that I can’t buy a Unix app and run it on OS X without it being ported first. It’s like trying to run a program written for Dos 1.0 and praying it will work on Vista. That’s the point I was trying to make. BTW i’m not bashing it just pointing that out.

It’s amazing how the people posting here see nothing but Macs everywhere and everyone they know has bought a Mac and is blissfully happy with it - when the company has 8% market share in the PC space. Seems like people see what they want to see and validate their own choices.

Joe in Indiana no doubt got his tin foil hat on crooked this morning. Better get back on the sedatives as well, big fella.

ben, littleton, co:

You are wrong. MAC OS X 10.5 (on Intel) is UNIX, period.

The Open Group has licensed its trademark to Apple:

www dot opengroup dot org slash openbrand slash certificates slash 1190p.pdf

Apple convert since October 2006. First with a 24″ iMac. Then a 20″ iMac in Jan 2007. Then a MacBookPro — which my business partner derided. I installed Parallels myself, then installed Great Plains software (runs our accounting/inventory), Crystal Reports and Harvard Graphics to run on the XP side and never looked back. I do as much work on the Apple side as possible (including MS Office), but the XP side runs fine. It’s very odd to have all of the icons on the same desktop, but only at first.

Anyone who thinks AAPLs licensing agreements are one-sided hasn’t dealt with Micro$oft. Apple has a long run ahead…

I think the writer that predicts an Apple share in the future as high as 80% may be correct. OS X truly rocks but not only at the iMac and MacBook consumer level. Leopard Server will start making serious inroads into corporate networks. Not only in NT installations but also in Linux territory, just wait and see.
As a side bar, I just flew back to States from UK and was in several airports waiting for connections. I could not believe my eyes … there were glowing Apples everywhere, US and UK, far out numbering PC Laptops. This was not the case two years ago on my last trip when mine was often the only Mac in sight.
The tide has indeed turned and I think it is gaining momentum.

Apple has managed to do one thing that seems to be quite easy for any company in this country to do these days: convince a bunch of people to pay a lot more for something that amounts to nothing. LOL At some point, you’ll all realize that the “higher perceived value” you think is in an Apple product is actually their way of getting you to pay for their R&D and tooling costs. They will be squeezed like a lemon at some point…and their sales, like their stock, will put a bitter taste in a lot of mouths. So start dumping it now.

In addition to my earlier statements, I’ll add that I just checked with two of my peers (not in the computer science or IT arenas) who purchsed Macs for thier homes in the last year. To date, they have had nothing but problems with their machines. One of them said “I could have stuck with a Windows-based system at half the price and dealt with the same problems I’m having with the Mac. I basically paid more to get the same sort of annoying, persistent problems.” I laughed at him and hung up. Apple will laugh at you and hang up in your face when you realize you’re paying a lot more for nothing. The only thing is that you’ll be on your way to the dumpster and they’ll be on their way to the bank with your money! LOL

You are right and wrong, os x is BASED of unix, “fully compliant UNIX technology”( from link below) id does not say it IS unix. You just cant buy any engineering app that is for unix and run it on os x, its the same thig as calling Linux unix, your kind of right but not really. so before you go telling people that they do not know what they are talking about, make sure you your self do first.

wonderful. more uninformed bs comments, this time from James in Troy, MI.

2nd I’m really surprised more people aren’t ticked that apple is a closed OS/Hardware PC. Could you imagine the complaining you would hear if M$ only let you run windows on a winbox made by M$. OMG every fool on the planet would be taking them to court. Gotta love the double standards we have in this country.

there’s this little thing called boot camp. look it up.

will people please realize that today’s mac is not the same as the mac of the 90s? and maybe do a little research before you post. you anti-apple tards are just as bad as the mac zealots.

Jason - Here is a link from apple’s site saying it is certified UNIX, exactly what are you looking for in a unix?

http://www.apple.com/macosx/technology/unix.html

“Littleton Co - OS X is Unix, maybe you should know what you are talking about before post.”

You’re almost right. Mac OS X is built on an open source version on Unix. However it does not guarantee compatibility with many Unix applications and most still need to be ported to work with OS X.

Ben, Littleton Co - OS X is Unix, maybe you should know what you are talking about before post.

We just bought seven Macs for our various operations because we liked the way OS X handled high front-end workloads; it’s much smoother than Linux on high-response user-driven tasks and less expensive than other premium Unices. (We’re nuts and bolts IT guys/gals who do PCs, mainframes, Linux and Unix–OS X at it’s core is Unix. We talk regularly with GCC, GDB, Eclipse, and now Xcode and AppleScript.) We also use Windows XP and are more in marketing parlance “includers” than “switchers”. Vista did influence our decisions to a degree because: (a) we were deeply sick and tired with the unending insecurity (viral sensitivities) and operating inefficiencies of the Windows architecture generally, (b) objected to and were stopped by the no-virtual-machine license restrictions for Vista, (c) didn’t like the WGA failures potentially deauthenticating us even though we’re legal (and must be so), and (d) especially were very wary of the DRM, internal wasteful encryption overhead for “protected paths”, tilt-bits, arbitrary revokation potential, and generally user-hostile and paranoid mentality of Vista’s design (all this “security” are layers of ticking time bombs–any destabilizing event is as bad as a virus, and viruses would have a absolute field day after penetrating this type of system–we have very little control of a system which doesn’t trust us, and as such we can’t trust it). We like Apple’s user-centric attitude and we love how well OS X works when under load, and with our new Macs integrated into our Linux/Unix operations are looking at each other wondering why we didn’t do this years ago.

Ben has a point, although it might have been lost in is bad grammar and spelling, name ENGINEERING APPS! That’s great you have worked for health car and what not, but the programs they/you used are not ENGINEERING apps, for example, Auto Cad, Math Cad, STK, Solid Works, PRO E. and the list goes on and on as for games, you are right, out of hundreds of titles, the games that are 3 years old now are being added to mac at about a rate of 3 a year. As for the hardware build me a computer out of parts on newegg.com or and pc part supplier and then put OS X on it LEGALLY. OS X does not have the drives for you to just install what ever you want in the computer, apple is not making drives for it.

But however, based on function and affordability, Ben is correct even if some of his opinions are off.

The cost of Aesthetics is a cost some people are willing to pay, and hence you have Apple users paying premiums for their goods.

But basic laws of economics says that producers maximize profits by minimizing costs, and so therefore in industry, many companies are unwilling to pay a premium for office computers when they can work out a deal with Dell to mass buy their computers.

Anyways, Apple will stick around, but I personally don’t see it expanding much larger than 10 or 15% of your market share (please consider that not everyone has as much money as the people who buy mac products).

But, at least Apple gives us alternatives, and alternatives are never a bad thing, even if you are a MSFT supporter (which I am).

There’s no denying that Apple has resurrected its PC business, and the iPod has a lot to do with it. But a lot of posters here are blinded by the performance of the stock and the “elegant, stylish, beautiful, etc.” party line. 8% market share does not equal dominance, or even a platform for dominance. It’s a nice niche in a big industry, but no amount of iPods or iPhones is going to bump it up to HP and Dell territory at least in terms of market share. When you get right down to it, Apple makes it living selling commodity products wrapped up in a pretty software bow, and gets their sycophants to pay a premium for them. And lets not forget that, right or wrong, Jobs gets a lot of credit for Apple’s design success. He’s had health issues in the past (and stock option issues currently), and he certainly won’t be there forever, just as Gates isn’t as involved day-to-day at MSFT anymore. The real challenge for Apple will be continuing its current success post-Jobs. We’ll see if the cult of personality lives on after the style dictator is gone.

“You cannot get viruses on a Mac” This is completely wrong statement. While macs don’t have/haven’t had many viruses they can and have had viruses. Macs also have security holes just like every other OS made. Only a fool would believe any piece of software is safe from a hacker attack.

I’m not arguing whether OS X is a better OS then Windows or not, however if mac had 80+% market share you can bet there would be viruses and security holes exploded on a more regular basis.

Ben is right on. I don’t think mac can bust 15-20% market share for macs without opening up there OS to other venders.

2nd I’m really surprised more people aren’t ticked that apple is a closed OS/Hardware PC. Could you imagine the complaining you would hear if M$ only let you run windows on a winbox made by M$. OMG every fool on the planet would be taking them to court. Gotta love the double standards we have in this country.

Ben, are you thick? let me address your idiocy.

1 at this current point in time mac does not support that many games, and a not to small proportion of windows users play games (one of the reasons I have not switched)

yeah, got me there. but the number of games is growing all the time.

2 mac continues to keep only their hardware in there machines (which is fine) but you do dot have the flexibility of future upgrades, the only main option you have is throw out you old mac and buy a new one. Not to happy about that option at mac prices

this is false. intel macs have the same upgrade capacity as any dell or other mass produced PC. the only PCs that are truly upgradeable these days are ones we build ourselves. even then, with the pace of change in memory and CPUs and the prices of each, after four years it’s pointless to upgrade anyways.

3 manly the big reason is that a mac is a computer for a house wife, a web guy, or some one who uses a word editor a lot. There is practically not engineering software on the mac at all, you use window or unix for all your engineering work. And that is what drives it in a lot of industries, also to a lesser extent the scientific community is split on mac but still most of the profs in physics and mathematics that I know ( again not all but most) use a Windows box or a unix box

having worked IT in different industries (healthcare, advertising, retail etc) for 7 years (mostly in windows and unix networks, but 1 as a tech at an Apple Specialist) i’ve seen my share of hardware and software for both PCs and Macs. The software excuse against using a Mac today is gone. sure there are one or two cases here and there, but by and large most software made for windows is made for mac. with the advent of OS X, a lot of unix software is being ported to the mac, opening up many opportunities that were not available just a few years ago. your argument may have been valid a few years ago, but times have changed.

Sure, Microsoft and Windows have created an entire industry with their products….. an industry based on tech support, troubleshooting, virus protection, spyware, malicious code, hackers, broken products, and all around lousy unreliable products. PCs are basically $400 plastic boxes with lousy software inside, and a lousy OS.

Windows and Microsoft have never offered any personal service, style, added any culture, innovation or user-friendly solution to computing. Hey have never invented anything since day 1 - only stole ideas, and sold them as second-rate products. Our entire computer industry for the past 2 decades has been built around the need for solutions, patches, fixes and IT support to bridge gaps in an industry dominated by companies that have never thought to make better products for the average person. There is no reason, in over 30 years of computers, that people STILL need IT support of training.

Enter Apple. They have ALWAYS made superior products that were easy to use. Their products are foolproof, have style, are beautiful, easy to use. This decade so far, with the return of Steve Jobs, they have changed the music industry for the better with solutions like iTunes and the iPod. Their OS is updated every year, not every 7 years like Microsoft. You cannot get viruses on a Mac. They don’t crash. A 3 year old can use a Mac, which is why they are popular in schools, but don’t let this trick you into thinking it is kid’s stuff - Movies, albums, websites and basically anything Entertainment driven is done (and done better) on a Mac. The iPhone is just an extension of the great products that Apple has made and continues to make.

Just because it has taken some time for people to realize that Apple is far superior doesn’t mean it is unrealistic to believe that Apple’s marketshare will continue to rise as more people enter the Apple Store to get the great products, service and join the Apple family.

They make products people like and buy. I expect AAPL to rise to new heights today and reach $300 by this time next year.

apple will never make the market dominance that you peoples are suggesting for a few reasons

1 at this current point in time mac does not support that many games, and a not to small proportion of windows users play games (one of the reasons I have not switched)

2 mac continues to keep only their hardware in there machines (which is fine) but you do dot have the flexibility of future upgrades, the only main option you have is throw out you old mac and buy a new one. Not to happy about that option at mac prices

3 manly the big reason is that a mac is a computer for a house wife, a web guy, or some one who uses a word editor a lot. There is practically not engineering software on the mac at all, you use window or unix for all your engineering work. And that is what drives it in a lot of industries, also to a lesser extent the scientific community is split on mac but still most of the profs in physics and mathematics that I know ( again not all but most) use a Windows box or a unix box

Indianapolis Joe, thanks for adding so much to the discussion.

Of course your buddies don’t like Apple - they’re in IT. Apple doesn’t design it’s stuff for IT guys who like to get down to the nuts and bolts, it designs it for casual users and the artistically inclined, who don’t want to have to worry about file paths and extensions. I’ve been a Windows user since the mid-90s, but I can recognize the value Apple provides to certain demographics.

It’s kind of like saying country / rock / rap / classical / whatever YOU don’t like is crap, because… well… YOU don’t like it. Fact is, no one cares.

When sa company is on top, its easy to bash them. Many people have predicted the demise of Apple since the 1980’s. As long as they keep innovating, they will succeed. Also if they can reach a certain market penetration (see Microsoft), they will have a loyal consumer base that will keep buying. They may have already reached that point. Go Apple!

I am as of October 2006 a switcher. I still run both machines but only because I have to. Mac’s are without question the easier PC to use. Joe from Indy is sadly misinformed. Apple is not without its warts but windows isnt just warts - its more like full on leprosy.Seriously though…for the average PC user Mac is the better choice.

The real tipping point for Apple maybe years out as all those college kids who are buying macs now move into the workplace and the demand for the product becomes more pronounced in business. Then and perhaps only then will you see the market seriously swing in Apples favor.

It seems to me that the only people excited about the crap that Apple produces are the people who own stock in the company. The rest of us could care less. This, like other fads, will fizzle out, and you’ll all be petitioning the government to “do something.” LOL

I’ve never trusted or felt comfortable using Mac computers or anything made by Apple. Several of my friends who have degrees in Computer Science and who work in the IT field have said this is a disaster waiting to happen. These people haven’t changed; they put out just as much junk as Microsoft and the other companies. All the hype is just that…HYPE! They will never dominate anything! It’s only a matter of time before they are exposed for what they are: losers.

If AAPL is going to put their OS on any other computer it is going to be to fill a current gap in their portfolio and will be with a manufacturer that shares their values in usability / aesthetics (not Dell or HP or Gateway).

My guess would be Sony, to fill the high end ‘executive’ or ’slim’ laptop market.

It will also be in a deal that strongly favours AAPL economically.

In 10 years the future will look like this:
80% of all computers global market share will be Apple.
It’s evident!

I’m an Apple Convert. I put my Microsoft machine in my basement, bought an iMac, bought a MacBook Pro, bought two Apple iPod nanos, bought an iPhone when the price dropped (gave my Motorola cell to my son-in-law), sold my Microsoft stock, bought Apple stock 3 times — some near the $117 low; and I am happy with my Apple hardware and, most of all, with my Apple stock!

Take that Bill Gates!!!!

I don’t think you will see Mac OSX on Dell, Gateway or any other machine for several reasons.

It would cut into Mac hardware sales (remember the clones).
It would complicate Macs excellent support system.

All the profit is where the Mac line is now, they don’t have shelves of discounted machine, and they let the others fight over the sub $600 market.

Mac isn’t hardware or software, it’s a unified system that “Just works”.

I’m an Apple convert as of May 2007. The products simply work together. The software is intuitive and straight forward. I finally bought stock after buying so many of their products.

Apple better come in at .90 or people will begin to question its multiple and take a quick $20 off its price.

Apple would smoke the number for the coming years, Leopard added with the I-phone hype. We are looking for a great number, on top of it. Apple just launched their India plan with Reliance ownder Mukesh Ambani, one of the few $50 billionaire we have on this planet. He is one of greatest business man here in the sub continent.

I suspect that very soon now you will be able to choose among Vista (not so much) XP and OS X on low-end PC boxes… Why not?

Thomcarl, iMac IS entry level (and so is the mini)… That is a mistake on your part. It is also “credibility”, and not “credability”. This must hurt your credibility. You shouldn’t be so harsh on the writer..

When will you be able to choose between Windows and Mac OS on a Dell or HP? Perhaps never, but almost certainly not in Steve Jobs lifetime.

When will I be able to chose between Window’s and Apple’s operating system when I buy a Dell or HP computer?

Kind of like choosing between Vista and XP.

I just switched to Mac after 15 years on PC…Apple is going to win it in the coming years….

Credibility begins with grammar and spelling.
Apple is great.
Use spell-check and your point will be more credible.

Not spelling “credibility” correctly when attacking a writer doesn’t exactly bolster one’s reputation, either.

Umm, just as the macbook is the entry level notebook compared to the macbook Pro, the imac is indeed the entry level desktop compared to the Mac Pro.
The Mac mini is a niche product, NOT their entry level desktop product.

The iMac is not an entry level desk top it is the main desk top model, the mac mini is the entry level computer, this kind of mistake hurts the writers credability.

ex ped: I had to distinguish between the 20-inch and 24-inch iMacs. The former had the screen problem; the latter did not. Hope that clarifies. –Philip Elmer-DeWitt

It’s great news. For many years, Apple was “beleagured” despite great products. The iPod got the people who might have reflexively bought Windows PC looking at Apple products