A majority of today’s college students are Mac fans. A new study found that 71 percent those in higher education either use or would like to use macOS computers. But there’s an important caveat: many of these students actually use other types because they can’t afford Apple’s offerings.
The survey, The Influence of Student Device Choice on the Modern Workplace, was done by research firm Vanson Bourne but commissioned by Jamf, who offers IT services for Apple computers.
Most college students ❤️ Mac
College students cited ease of use (59%) and reliability (57%) among their reasons for preferring Macs. Fans of Apple say its computers are more intuitive (58%) and longer lasting (50%) too.
However, the survey also found that just 40% of respondents currently use a Mac. That said, 51 percent of students who use a PC would switch to macOS if cost weren’t a consideration. This despite 43% of students using a PC agreeing that Mac provides the greatest value.
It seems the use of Chomebooks in K-12 education isn’t translating into higher education. Apple once dominated computers used in kindergarten through high school classrooms, but now it has less than 20 percent of the K-12 market and Google’s Chrome OS dominates. That doesn’t seem to have inspired loyalty in students, though.
And they want to keep using them
When college students graduate, they want their new employers to give them a choice in operating system. The survey found that 78% think it’s important for an employer to give them options in the type of computer used.
“The next generation of job seekers wants their tech to just work so that they can focus on their job. They see Mac as more modern, intuitive and reliable – and would like to continue to use it as they launch their careers,” said Dean Hager, CEO, Jamf.
The survey, conducted in early 2019 by global third-party market research firm Vanson Bourne, is based on responses from 2,244 current college and university students across five countries.
