14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is expected to continue the boost initiated with the release of iPOD and MacMini, increasing its participation in the desktop market.
According to a study recently released by IDC, Apple's Q4 (2004) share in the desktop market reached 2.88%, boosting 2.2% more than in Q3.
The MacMini sales sustain this trend, and the analysis think the sustained boost will be noted during 2005, too.
Worldwide, Apple reached during Q4 a 1.75% market share, the highest in company history.
The MacMini success is sustained by iPOD. The wonder-player released by Apple makes an ever increasing number of users change their PC-s for Mac-s.
These switchers, as they have been named by Apple, do not seem to be impressed by the quite high MacMini pricings; Morgan Stanley consultancy company stated that, according to their forecasts, about 19% of iPOD users intend to give away their PC for a Mac.
On the other hand, there are some critics claiming that MacMini is too recent for making a difference in the Apple income.
Regardless of the boost reasons, the Amazon.com sale charts point to a leading position of Apple products like iPOD and PowerBook. For instance, at this very moment the most popular desktops from Amazon, include four Apple products out of five best sold, MacMini being the leader.
The electronics are also dominated by Apple, with iPOD.
The further development can barely be anticipated, but for sure Apple is on an ascending trend, and if maintaining a steady growth rate until 2009 Apple is expected to get to a 5% "slice" in the desktop market.