[Ti] Market Share: 2.3% -- That's NOT good press, coupled with the loss

[NaegeleWDC at aol.com]

Steve Wozniak has opined:

"I feel that Apple is on the right (great) track (leading edge features and apps and style and ease and etc.) but I have trouble accepting that market share moves the other way."

I agree with him completely, especially when I am trying to convince other lawyers with whom I work that they should consider Apple products, and the "facts" are going the other way -- at least in terms of their perception.  And it's not limited to professionals; 2.3 percent and Apple's latest loss have to dampen potential sales to all.

Glenn Austin adds:

"Most market share numbers are based on *sales* not *in-use*."

True, but to approach it otherwise would be like comparing all of the Chevrolets on the road vs. all of the Toyotas, and not focus on new car sales.  Frankly, I had not realized that Apple's share had falled to 2.3 percent until recently, and thought that it still hovered around 5 percent.  Despite wonderful innovations that "rock" the Mac faithful positively, non-Mac people who are urged to switch will likely think twice when they learn about the market share and the loss.  And that's too bad because I believe the people at Apple ARE doing their very best and truly innovating.

Glenn added:

"Most in-use numbers show a 9-12% Macintosh usage share.  Remember, most
Wintel machines are purchased as replacements within a 12-18 month period.

"The problem is that all these sales numbers assume that each machine is
going into service as a new machine, not as a replacement for an existing
machine.  All that they say is that there are 97-99 Wintel machines sold for
every Macintosh sold.  This does not equal 'market share' in spite of those
people who would like it to mean that."

With all due respect, so what -- the Chevy-Toyota analysis still holds true, certainly with respect to potential "switchers."

It must be very frustrating to Jobs, et al., to find that Apple's market share has been literally cut in half within a relatively short period of time.  

Tim Naegele

www.naegele.com

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