Report: Apple could double market share
Posted by Dennis Sellers 
Apr 17, 2006 at 1:26am
Mac users and Apple fans, unite! Our time is now, our day is here. A new report out by market research firm Forrester suggests that Apple could double its market share through defections from the Windows platform alone, reports BetaNews. The firm said that much of this has to do with customers’ deep distrust of Microsoft.
Apple, along with TiVo, was the only company whose brand trust increased in the last two years. Consumers trust technology brands like Bose, Dell, Sony, Panasonic, and Hewlett-Packard the most, while Toshiba, Hitachi, Gateway, and LG joined Microsoft at the bottom.
According to BetaNews, the Forrester report estimates that some 5.4 million households say they distrust Microsoft either a lot or somewhat. Those most likely to answer in such a way have a higher income, are male, and spend more money online. If Apple gave these users a reason to switch and leave Microsoft behind, the company could double its market share, the firm speculated.
Apple may have given these folks a reason with Boot Camp, which pretty much removes any barriers for Windows users to sample a Mac. Once you’ve gone Mac (hardware and software), you’ll never go back. But Apple should also pony up some serious advertising bucks to promote the Mac hardware AND software.
After all, Forrester said the public at large seems to fail to identify the iPod with the computer manufacturer. Only 5.2 million claim to use the Apple brand, even though the company has sold some 42 million players.
BetaNews notes that the firm recommended that Apple link the iPod to its main brand more strongly in advertising. Additionally, it should also emphasize that its pricing is more competitive, now that the lower priced Mac mini is part of the company’s lineup. Heck, Jobs & Company should tie the iPod even more closely into the Mac. Offer some Mac-only, Mac-specific features for the iPod while still making it Windows friendly to lure folks away from the dark side.
I don’t realistically expect Mac OS X to overtake Windows in market share. But darn, a Mac market share of 9 percent, 10 percent, 20 percent, 25 percent? Think of the possibilities.
The time is now. So, c’mon, Apple, let’s capitalize on it.
Thoughts? Write me at daseller@earthlink.net
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Contributor
Dennis Sellers
Dennis has been a newspaper editor/reporter (seven years) and teacher (seven years). He has over 4,000 magazine, newspaper and online articles to his credit. He has also covered the Mac and tech industries for over a decade for such online publications as MacCentral, MacMinute and now MacsimumNews.
