Apple is triumphing in the Windows upgrade wars
Apple blows it out the water in Q4
Microsoft’s decision to force Windows 11 on some users without their permission and end all support for Windows 10 as of October has left IT decision-makers scrambling for better alternatives – and many are turning to the Mac.
Slamming Windows
Millions of PCs are in use today that cannot actually support Windows 11, and the removal of all support – including security support – is a big blow to them. Users face the dilemma of either continuing to use an insecure machine (which hackers will undoubtedly target once October comes) or face the cost of upgrading to something new.
That search for an upgrade is a win for Apple, according to Canalys, as the Mac of today is not the same as the one yesterday, and if they are being forced to upgrade anyway why not migrate to Mac, given most employees already use Macs at home?
The fact that Apple has also mended some of the pain points when working together on both platforms is also helpful.
What Canalys said about the Apple opportunity
“The Windows refresh cycle provides fertile ground for Apple to target both consumers and businesses that may be open to switching operating systems,” said Canalys. “Historically, manageability and compatibility issues were highlighted as reasons for larger commercial customers to eschew Apple products. However, many of those issues have been addressed by Apple, and along with more competitive pricing and a revamp of its channel partner program later this year, 2025 is set to see Mac make market share gains within the commercial segment.”
What’s the impact of this?
Well, according to the analysts it means US Mac shipments in Q4 2024 didn’t just go up by 5%, 10%, or even 20% — they increased by an astonishing 25.9%, year-on-year, exceeding growth of any other PC maker. (I’m pretty confident the Crowdstrike incident also helped focus hearts and minds on a more secure platform). Overall, the PC market grew just 6% in that period, which shows the extent to which Apple is biting into existing market share,
What this means is that Apple now holds 17.1% of the US PC market – that’s far, far higher than it ever achieved before. There were signs of life in the PC biz – Acer jumped 20% and Lenovo achieved 11.8% growth. HP and Dell both saw market shrink. Apple regained third place and also saw 15% gains over the entire calendar year.
Tariff tousles toughen trade
Given so many PCs are made outside the US, things may get worse as a consequence of Trump’s import tariffs, which will likely increase prices and therefore depress sales. Apple may yet escape some – not all — of the consequences of this given its determination to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in manufacturing facilities, R&D and more.
The takeaway?
With Apple offering some of the best computers money can buy, now is a good time for companies considering upgrading to the Mac to put their plans into motion. Apple is winning the Windows upgrade wars.
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