Rather than hissing each time Microsoft introduces a new version of its Windows operating system, maybe Mac fans should cheer. That’s the opinion of one analyst who says Windows actually boosts Apple hardware sales. “No negative correlation exists on AAPL’s hardware sales when Microsoft launches a new OS,” according to financial analyst Brian Marshall of Broadpoint.AmTech.
Although Apple has parlayed Windows into a highly-publicized nemesis of Mac owners, sales of Cupertino’s computers actually rose when Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000 and Windows 98 were released. “Ironically, we believe new OS launches from MSFT may have acted as a ‘delayed accelerant’ to AAPL’s computing sales,” Marshall said.
Apple’s share of the worldwide hardware market could double from 4 percent now to 8 percent by the end of 2014, according to the analyst. A recent survey by consumer research firm NPD Group found 12 percent of U.S. households own Macs, up from 9 percent in 2008.
Marshall cautioned Apple’s success or failure is “largely idiosyncratic in nature,” resulting more on decisions of the Cupertino, Calif. company rather than a result of the actions by others.
Many onlookers expect Apple will soon unveil a “refreshed” line of hardware. Among the possibilities: a highly-anticipated tablet based on Apple’s iPhone OS and an updated iMac with a quad-core processor rather than the current dual-core technology. Apple is expected to release results for the September quarter Oct. 19.
The debate over the Mac OS versus Windows 7 reached a fever pitch when Wall Street Journal tech journalist Walt Mossberg wrote about his experience testing the new Microsoft operating system: “In recent years, I, like many other reviewers, have argued that Apple’s Mac OS X operating system is much better than Windows. That’s no longer true.”
[Via AppleInsider and Gadget Lab]
