...Yes, there is demand from some Mac users who also want to be able to run Windows. But I think the opposite is true as well. I have seen plenty of posts online in various forums from PC users saying that they would like to have a Mac, but they have to also run Windows for various reasons. They don't want to pay for two computers, so up to now they've had no choice but to stick with PCs. These people are going to love this solution.
If they were content with 3% market share, why would they do something to broaden the appeal of their computers?
You can say that again. What no one has focused on is that Boot Camp is virtually a no loose proposition for Apple. How can Boot Camp really harm Apple? Just look at life before Boot Camp and after. Is anyone going to turn against buying an Apple computer because of this extra feature? For most buyers, it will be a non-issue.
Let's talk OS here. For Mac OS only users, there's not change, and you lose nothing not using it. For those with Windows needs, dual boot is an additional function that doesn't negatively affect the Mac buying decision. There are and will be other ways of meeting the needs, but adding Boot Camp doesn't take anything away, and might fill the need of some of these cross-over users.
So, who's the most affected? The Windows OS users, who would never have considered a Mac now have an additional choice of hardware. There are some compelling offerings in form factors (iMac, mini) that have no current competition. These are extra sales of Apple hardware that wouldn't have happened before Boot Camp (or 3rd party equivalents). These users would never have to use Mac OS X, and dual boot is irrelevant to them. I believe this group is larger than most people think, but even if it's tiny, that's more from this group than would have bought before.
The same people who spent $1000 on LCD monitors are good early adopters of Apple's smaller form factors on space savings alone. Add to that the ease of moving, say between cubicles, and any corporation with lots of workers that move frequently are also candidates. Instead of having to call the IT department, the worker can move the iMac themselves, plug in power and network (or not if Airport connected), and they're back in business. The time, expense and complexity from having to move the computer system is greatly reduced.
The debate over the existance of price premium is complicated, but even if there is one, may be overcome by other factors, such as aesthetics or ergonomics. For now, there are few equivalent systems to really compare pricing, but I expect more of the PC world to copy the Apple form factors. |
