Mac Q1 2010 PC Market Share = 3.6 Percent

"It is these obviously tainted estimates that allow the company to consistently defy analysts' so-called expectations, so I will no longer report on such things."

Why is a conservative estimate a tainted one?  Not all of the analysts follow Apples guidance, and even they were blown away by the results.

tech.fortune.cnn.com/.../apples-blow-out-quarter-the-bloggers-called-it-the-street-blew-it

Some mentioned my WinInfo article from today about Apple's earning and the line, "these obviously tainted estimates that allow the company to consistently defy analysts' so-called expectations, so I will no longer report on such things." (That comment might not be live yet.) The article in question is here: http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/paul-thurrotts-wininfo/Strong-iPhone... This line was based on article from Business Insider, which I think nicely explains Apple's routine "smashing of expectations" each quarter: http://www.businessinsider.com/want-to-get-an-accurate-apple-earnings-es... But let's not get crazy here. Apple posts amazing numbers every quarter. All I'm saying is that we should simply expect that and not feign surprise when it happens. You don't have to heap fake accolades on top of already positive news.

rrode: "If Apple sold computers that only ran Windows (OS X did not exist) then you could compare them to rest or they would just be in the list some place like the others." If I'm not mistaken, mp3 players run different software also, making the user experience and available software different. Just like Macs and PC's. If you will allow mp3 players to be compared in the market, why is comparing computers any different? Just because Apple only chooses to sell OSX on Mac hardware doesn't mean they deserve a class all to themself. A Mac is still a PC (Yes, Personal Computer) and therefore should be compared with other PC's. Just as mp3 players should be compared with other mp3 players. As you say: "However [the mp3 market] is easy to compare because a device from any vendor can do the same thing....play any and all music/video." If an mp3 is an mp3 player because any vendor can do the same thing, then a computer is a computer, because any vendor can do the same thing... get online, create documents, run software. So, either you are wrong about comparing mp3 players in the market becaus they in fact are different by their different UX, or you are wrong about comparing computers.

Actually the sales of Macs are high in places like Canada, Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand in addition to the US. Anyone who thinks Macs only sell well in the US is dreaming. I remarked last week about the sales of Windows PCs being mainly to Enterprise. The New York Times put it about 80% for Dell and other estimates have been in the area of 85% for that company. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/16/technology/companies/16dell.html?_r=2&... http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/technology/05...

Ocean: They are projecting low to beat the estimates, yes.

yoshipod said:

"What I find most interesting is that the Mac market share still grew despite a strong Window 7 showing.

I think it was a forgone conclusion PC sales would spike with the generally well received release of Windows 7.  Many thought this would hurt Apple, but it seems to have no real effect."

Be careful to not forget the emerging market... Growth of the Mac market shares does not necessarily mean that Windows 7 market shares decrease!!!

I rather think that Mac and Windows 7 market shares growing because that emerging market are arriving at a stage where peoples begin to have more resources to own a computer in their home, business in these emerging countries begin to integrate computers in their offices, etc.

So I thing that Mac and Windows 7 machine are growing their market shares because of that... More for Windows 7 of course, because it is the leader and will be the leader for another century, or two...