May benefit Apple

Nov 23, 2006 13:59 GMT  ·  By

Similarities between Vista and Mac OS X may benefit Apple, believe analysts at the JMP Securities. They argue that, in the context of almost synonymous features among the two operating systems, users will perceive switching to Leopard on Mac than to Vista on a PC as the same thing.

Hmm... let's consider for a minute JMP Securities' arguments, as far fetched as they might be. In an article on MarketWatch, the JMP analysts refer to an "uncanny resemblance" between Windows Vista and Mac OS X Tiger. This resemblance extends from the digital media capabilities of the operating systems to the visual interface and design style. "We believe this could provide ample opportunity for Apple to gain greater market share with consumers," wrote the JMP analysts.

The conclusion JMP draws from this is that the consumers will make an association between upgrading from Windows XP to Vista and upgrading from XP to Tiger or Leopard.

Ample opportunity? There is a large amount of pure confusion both in the presumption and in the conclusion reached by the JMP Securities. I do not dispute that similarities between the two operating systems exist. I also do not dispute the fact that Microsoft has faced criticism over this issue. Just think of the Vista Gadgets' sidebar and Tiger's Dashboard layer, or of the Flip 3D-task switcher in Vista and the Expos? in Tiger.

But to conclude that this would convince Windows XP users to switch to Mac is absurd. Even XP users that are equally unfamiliar with Vista and Mac OS X, are familiar first of all with a Microsoft product. And those XP users familiar with both Windows and OS X, and the similarities between Vista and Tiger, are still XP users. If they haven't moved to Mac already, then certainly Windows Vista won't convince them to do so.