Apple Declares War On The eEntire PC Industry

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Apple Declares War On The eEntire PC Industry

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By Joe Wilcox | BetaNews

October
There is absolutely nothing coincidental about Apple launching new products today. The big product launch is Apple's first preemptive marketing strike against Microsoft, Windows 7 and the entire PC industry. It's a bold move exploiting a position of strength against an industry weakened by low-margin, low-priced netbooks.

Windows 7 officially launches in two days. Best Buy already has Windows 7 PCs on sale, but not for purchase. Dell started taking Windows 7 over the weekend. Gartner is telling businesses they must upgrade to Windows 7, despite any hardships migrating from Windows XP. Microsoft is priming the marketing pumps. The PC industry is collectively turning its attention to Windows 7, which Microsoft is trying to launch with some bang rather than a whimper.

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There seems to be a blind spot when it comes to understanding Macs in relationship to Windows PCs, and I don't understand why. Many analysts, computer enthusiasts and reporters miss something simple: Macs compete against Windows PCs, while Windows PCs compete against, well, Windows PCs. Apple can compete differently because Macs are the alternative to a big, saturated Windows PC market. Macs are the new thing, while another Windows PC is just another old thing. Macs will compete against PCs, but in the PC market Windows XP (and some Vista) will compete against Windows 7.

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But what has the geek world been babbling about for the last 24 hours? Apple. Firstly, there were rumors of new iMac, revamped white MacBook, new Mac mouse and updated Mac mini -- all products Apple unveiled early this afternoon. Secondly, late yesterday, there were Apple's blow-out fiscal 2009 fourth-quarter results: $1.67 billion profit and 3.05 million Macs shipped, the majority notebooks. Apple outperformed Wall Street's consensus, blasting past the econolypse's effects like it was business as usual.

Exactly who is talking about Windows 7 today or will tomorrow? Or gasp, on launch day -- Oct. 22nd?