4 ms·

To me, those are two different market segments. Call me back when Apple sells more Macs than PCs.

sjwright 13y ago
Agreed, but that's another statistic for another day. This isn't a story about market segments, but rather Apple platforms/strategy versus Microsoft platforms/strategy. Where I think the analysis falls down is that Microsoft should be awarded XBox system sales on its side of the ledger -- surely they're at least as much of a computer as an iPod Touch?
- tsurantino 13y ago
  They're not. I think it's more difficult to make the argument that an XBOX is used for general computing purposes (and would therefore warrant a great level of activity, activity which overlaps significantly with what you would do on a laptop/desktop) than you would for an iDevice. Though even amongst iDevices you can make distinctions. It's pretty blurry which is why I think the OP seems to be right (though not at that extreme), but I don't think including the XBOX would be a good enough offset.
  - sjwright 13y ago
    As far as I'm concerned, you can either compare market segments (computers OR phones) or you can compare product strategies. Apple's strategy is focusing on small form factor consumer products. Microsoft's (successful) strategies are focusing on workplace and living room. Both companies appear to have successful respective strategies, though the big story is how Apple's new products have stolen share from a huge number of competitors: - Sony Walkman, et al - Nokia, et al - Nintendo - Windows computers And probably others.
    - codex 13y ago
      Apple is also selling into the living room. The Apple TV sells 6-7 million of them a year.
FreakLegion 13y ago
Not only that, but how exactly does one track sales of Windows PCs, and what constitutes a PC in this context? Do laptops count? Does Surface? I don't think I've ever met a gamer who didn't build their own rig, and I'd assume, though can't say for sure, that the number of people who did so in Q4 is non-trivial.
- iaskwhy 13y ago
  He added in laptops and tablets as explained in the comments. He notes the sources, I believe it's shipments only so people building their own machines probably don't count for the total.

Agreed, but that's another statistic for another day. This isn't a story about market segments, but rather Apple platforms/strategy versus Microsoft platforms/strategy. Where I think the analysis falls down is that Microsoft should be awarded XBox system sales on its side of the ledger -- surely they're at least as much of a computer as an iPod Touch?

tsurantino 13y ago
They're not. I think it's more difficult to make the argument that an XBOX is used for general computing purposes (and would therefore warrant a great level of activity, activity which overlaps significantly with what you would do on a laptop/desktop) than you would for an iDevice. Though even amongst iDevices you can make distinctions. It's pretty blurry which is why I think the OP seems to be right (though not at that extreme), but I don't think including the XBOX would be a good enough offset.
- sjwright 13y ago
  As far as I'm concerned, you can either compare market segments (computers OR phones) or you can compare product strategies. Apple's strategy is focusing on small form factor consumer products. Microsoft's (successful) strategies are focusing on workplace and living room. Both companies appear to have successful respective strategies, though the big story is how Apple's new products have stolen share from a huge number of competitors: - Sony Walkman, et al - Nokia, et al - Nintendo - Windows computers And probably others.
  - codex 13y ago
    Apple is also selling into the living room. The Apple TV sells 6-7 million of them a year.

FreakLegion 13y ago

Not only that, but how exactly does one track sales of Windows PCs, and what constitutes a PC in this context? Do laptops count? Does Surface? I don't think I've ever met a gamer who didn't build their own rig, and I'd assume, though can't say for sure, that the number of people who did so in Q4 is non-trivial.

iaskwhy 13y ago
He added in laptops and tablets as explained in the comments. He notes the sources, I believe it's shipments only so people building their own machines probably don't count for the total.