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I've been wondering why Apple doesn't do the following:

 

1) Strike deals with big PC manufacturers like Dell, HP/Compaq, Fujitsu etc. to bundle Mac OSX with pre-defined spec compatible PC systems.

2) Sell Mac OSX separately and provide with it a list of guaranteed to work hardware including individual components and component combinations for people who feel the need to build their own.

 

 

This would result in:

 

More people having more easily and cheaper access to a great OS.

 

Which means more marketshare for Apple - which in turn would lead software manufacturers to take notice and think about targetting OSX; so more and better software and games would be made for the Mac, making it much more successful.

 

 

Can someone tell me what I am missing? And why Apple isn't doing this? I figure if they did, Mac OS would be level with Windows marketshare in 5 years time.

 

Why don't they!? :(

This has been discussed here and elsewhere a zillion times.

Simple answer: they don't because they earn most of their money by selling hardware.

 

They don't make most of their money by selling computer hardware. They make much more on the various IPod incarnations and now the IPhone.

 

Having more marketshare would ultimately mean more money - more people buying their software like Aperature, Final Cut etc.

 

And people would still buy the dedicated Apple computer hardware anyway.

 

They definitely wouldn't lose money on doing this.

You don't have to convince me, I have always been a proponent of ideas like yours. You have to convince Steve Jobs.

And I already know his answer: "over my dead body"

 

 

Hehe - you're right Alessandro.

 

Say, anyone got Jobs' number lying around then? :)

Back when Apple allowed clones, that was the argument as well - offer it for less, and it will increase market share. However, all it did was cannibalize Apple's sales. Overall Mac OS market share didn't increase at all.

Back when Apple allowed clones, that was the argument as well - offer it for less, and it will increase market share. However, all it did was cannibalize Apple's sales. Overall Mac OS market share didn't increase at all.

 

Times change. Back when, anyway?

 

The only reason that MS has gained decent marketshare already with Vista is because of OEM bundles with new PC systems through deals with PC giants.

 

A similar approach (a deal with big PC manufacturers to offer Mac OSX on selected hardware) would do exactly the same for Mac OS.

 

Apple simply does not seem interested in marketshare - and that to me is baffling. There are TONS of roads they could've gone down if they really wanted to.

Having more marketshare would ultimately mean more money - more people buying their software like Aperature, Final Cut etc.

 

And people would still buy the dedicated Apple computer hardware anyway.

 

They definitely wouldn't lose money on doing this.

You're missing it altogether.

The money comes because pros buy 24" iMacs or Mac pros and they buy their software. That's where the money is! One comes with the other. Same deal with consumer apps with Macs: where's the selling point if Apple doesn't have it's software exclusive on its own machines?

Apple offers the all-in-one solution, in every way. The OS is merely part of the platform. The other part is their hardware. OS X on non-Macs has never felt quite right: not just because there's always something wrong, but because it's not the same plug-and-play seamless experience.

 

I'm not sure I can explain it much better, I'm sorry. But the OS market is not where Apple's business is.

 

-Urby

Apple will never license the Mac OS because of supply and demand.

 

Apple has nowhere near the marketshare needed to license the OS and clone sales from before cut into Apple's profits instead of increasing the userbase.

 

There is no demand for non-Windows OS-es. Period end of discussion. In order for Apple to sell the Mac OS on $50 Dell boxes and make a profit, Apple needs to raise their prices on the Mac OS (which in turn, raises supply but reduces demand). This in turn will lead to fewer copies of Mac OS bought and then they wind up in the $5 reject bin because Apple just went bankrupt.

Can someone tell me what I am missing? And why Apple isn't doing this? I figure if they did, Mac OS would be level with Windows marketshare in 5 years time.

 

Why don't they!? ^_^

 

...because their business model works for them as is. They have a nice niche computer business and a dominating consumer device business They're making loads of money! As far as trying to defeat Microsoft is concerned, they have their built in man doing it for them. ;)

 

 

What an idiot! :) I know Microsoft is so big that it would take years of consistent bad moves for it to die but why are they putting this theory to the test?

Apple simply does not seem interested in marketshare - and that to me is baffling. There are TONS of roads they could've gone down if they really wanted to.

Market share isn't that important to Apple right now because you don't have to move the most units in your industry to be a profitable and well-respected company. Apple does very well with their approach in financial and popularity terms and it's an approach they like, so there's little incentive for them to change

Apple can afford to be lean and mean. Don't assume big (more market share) is always better. Although it's hard to convince fierce defenders of US-style market dynamics and its 'social darwinism', there are many more shades of grey in this world in terms of ambitions and goals than simply 'get fat by all means'.

 

Steve Jobs once said the thing he hates most about the PC industry (particularly MS) is that they have bad taste...

Market share isn't that important to Apple right now because you don't have to move the most units in your industry to be a profitable and well-respected company. Apple does very well with their approach in financial and popularity terms and it's an approach they like, so there's little incentive for them to change

Apple has a bigger market cap than Dell, and much worse market share. So there goes your argument. It's a much more profitable company, they make a lot of money, yes, off iPods but also from their mac range.

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