Apples marketshare

I have no idea what you mean by 22 22 22 22, but I agree, pds. Well, they <i>are</i> using off the shelf parts already, of course, but using intel's chips won't change much about the price of the actual computers. If a Mac mini with an intel processor is cheaper to produce than a Mac mini with a PPC, then basically, Apple will earn more. Sure, they'll have to make sure that the mini is attractively priced, but they don't have to kill themselves over it. Similar things for the portables. Takes a little more R&D to have top-notch notebooks that work in real-life situations. Apple does a good job there.
Where I _do_ see a chance for price drops: The PowerMacs. For years, Apple had to pay IBM and Motorola to create ever faster processors (just for them!). Then they had to make them dual processor machines in order to stay competitive with the PC world. With the switch to intel, that problem's solved. They can use off-the-shelf processors and actually compete with HP, Sony, Dell etc. While I expect them to still do better in case design etc. than its competitors, they can now offer the desktops in a more competitive area.

They could invent another machine, for example. The Mac mini is a great switcher-bait. But people for whom the mini is "too little", the iMacs and PowerMacs probably aren't an alternative because of the huge price gap inbetween. Apple could either create a lower PowerMac with a Celeron (get people interested in the mini, then they'll buy that low-end PowerMac instead...) or - like I said - a whole new line of cheaper desktop machines (using the Celeron, too). If they truly want to expand market share, I think that's a great opportunity.
 
22 22 22 22
catch 22 loop - prices keep them out and them being out keeps prices high so they stay out so prices....

By off the shelf - I mean things like gigabyte motherboards. Apple will twist those Intel chipsets into configurations and shapes that no-one else is doing. So the only savings is in the processor itself and what is that $25? $50?

More options would be interesting, but only after there's a real market - we don't want to go back to 1998 with all kinds of models that make lots of sense but nobody buys.
 
i would assume apple would use an Intel board/chipset built to their specifications:

no legacy (parallel, serial, p/s2, fdd controller) and all the things we expect from apple: firewire (including boot support) 400 and 800, usb2, sata, gigabit ethernet, and HOPEFULLY some form of Open Firmware still as opposed to a CMOS bios. (OF is a type of BIOS too :) )
 
fryke said:
Well, they <i>are</i> using off the shelf parts already...
Gah! A new form of the "_Fryke_ Factor"! Using HTML markup instead of vB code? I thought you didn't want to be bothered with brackets and stuff like that! ;)
 
Jason said:
Odd I'm using a Dell right now, seems to work fine. Sure you weren't using one built with cheap parts? Try not to paint a company as bad just because you had bad personal experiences. You wouldn't want PC users doing the same to you because they had a bad experience with a first gen iMac.

anyways, on topic...

It will be interesting in the coming years how the share goes. With the Intel switch I am hoping prices will drop on their computers across the line. If that happens, I hope we will see more sales. But Apple really needs to make sure they continue on with innovation that is sellable. (iBooks and iMacs are the most important, they seem to be a big seller, but still could use to be a bit cheaper)

I probably shouldn't have been so open, but:

1. I wouldn't have said that without knowledge of experiences outside of my own, and

2. I have enough knowledge to know that the Dells that I'm commenting on weren't old but new, therefore I'm not making a rash judgement based on old hardware. Maybe your experience has been good, while I and most of the people I know hasn't.

As for a price drop, I agree with Fryke in that Apple won't go doing themselves in by lowering their prices. I expect to see their prices neither go up or down by very much with the switch. A thought that has been bouncing around in my head, however, is how Apple could market their OS on a grand scale by making it available to regular non-Apple hardware. I know it's been beat to death, but I think Apple could really take a shot at Microsoft by marketing to everyone....
 
MDLarson said:
Gah! A new form of the "_Fryke_ Factor"! Using HTML markup instead of vB code? I thought you didn't want to be bothered with brackets and stuff like that! ;)

I guess I was writing HTML the minute before that post. Also, the "<"'s are much simpler to achieve than the "["'s on a Swiss German keyboard.
 
sorry to bend off topic, but i have a relatively new dell (P4, geForce 3 Ti etc) and it's very shoddy. all the plastic around the box is clipped on, badly, and it all wobbles and feels flimsy. the Clamshell-opening system is the most stupid idea i've ever seen. forces proprietry motherboards, and makes it actually more difficult to get in to it. tech support, though is excellent bar the indian accents which are hard to understand, without being racist. then again, Apples UK tech support is based in Doblin in Norn Irn. so that's even harder to fathom out.
 
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