The Biz of Coding

Apple Computer Inc. – Why Mac OS X & Win XP dual boot Macs would succeed

by Ujwal Tickoo on April 7th, 2006

Think Different! Apple famously drove home a message when it launched the iMac. I hope that this time around, noticing the favorable response of the stock market to the Boot Camp Beta Release, Apple Thinks Different!

Apple has historically displayed an ability to hurt itself. It created closed Mac systems and lost market share. I think that with the iPod it is again repeating the same error — but that is a topic for another time. Right now it is Boot Camp. I am nervous about what Phil Schiller stated recently that displayed the same-old self defeating attitude of Apple Computer Inc.:

Apple has no desire or plan to sell or support Windows, but many customers have expressed their interest to run Windows on Apple’s superior hardware now that we use Intel processors. We think Boot Camp makes the Mac even more appealing to Windows users considering making the switch.

Sigh! For whom was this message meant? The Mac user base that makes 5% of the PC user base in US? It is not about switching from Windows to Mac OS X. The OS game is already over, as well accepted even by Steve Jobs.

Looking at the numbers who do you think will benefit if Apple bundles Windows XP and later Vista? And no, creating dual boot Intel Macs with Win XP and Mac OS X won’t kill the well loved OS X. Rather Mac OS X will reach a wider audience because several Windows users would love to try the sexy OS X!

Right now several corporates don’t buy Apple machines because of the extra cost of supporting the smaller number of Apple hardware and software users. But once there are dual boot Intel Mac PCs — supported and sold by Apple — the problem of separately buying hardware and OS will not stand anymore. With Boot Camp Apple has got everyone’s attention. I hope that Apple doesn’t lose this well earned attention of enterprise IT departments.

Who will benefit if design shops, advertising agencies and the other creative guys stop buying PCs from DELL and HP completely because Apple sells a single machine with dual boot Mac OS X and Windows XP?

Apple will make it easier for consumers and enterprises to buy more Intel Macs if it supports Windows XP pre-installed. If this happens I expect Apple’s stock to skyrocket. The question is will Apple swallow pride, take a reality check, and let the markets help it?

POSTED IN: Apple, Boot Camp, Intel, Mac OS X, Macintosh, Microsoft, Steve Jobs, Strategy, Windows, WindowsXP