[Some Random Bloke]

Bit quiet around here so I thought I'd post this. Recently someone posted some figures showing that, if you include the iPad, Apple is now the largest producer of PCs world wide. Of course Steve said the iPad is a 'post-pc' device and prior to iOS5 it was effectively tethered to a computer. But now it is a bona fide standalone product, is it legitimate to call it a PC?

I blogged about it here. It's a very grey area. We've counted laptops as PCs for years, so why not tablets as well?

Thoughts?

[Ken Gracey]

That's a great point Alex, but with every man and his dog now bringing out tablets, If we added the numbers into both camps, mac and pc, the gap sadly would be to apples disadvantage.

[Some Random Bloke]

Not necessarily. Apple has sold something like 14 million iPads. Has the nearest competitor sold even a million?

[Ken Gracey]

No, but that's because apple sues anybody, who tries to launch any sort of tablet

[mdavid]

Haha! I think Apple focuses its litigation on tablet makers who try to use Apple's patented ideas. Other tablets have been around for ages without Apple appearing to be the least bit fussed over them.

I've been alternating between both sides of the argument on whether the iPad could be counted in PC sales and I think I too am now settling with the idea that it should count as a PC. Because the iPad represents an evolution of the form factor more than what it actually is or what it does. If iPads could not be counted as PCs, then I guess the convertible could not be counted as a car either. Cars were still cars when they lost their gear shift to become automatics, just like an iPad is still a PC when it lost its plug-in keyboard. And of course you can still use an external keyboard with your iPad if you want.

My online dictionary defines 'Personal computer' as 'a computer designed for use by one person at a time'. It says nothing about it having to be connected to a mouse. So by that definition the iPad is a PC.

- Mark

[bitingmidge]

Ken Gracey, on 22 January 2012 - 04:36 PM, said:

That's a great point Alex, but with every man and his dog now bringing out tablets, If we added the numbers into both camps, mac and pc, the gap sadly would be to apples disadvantage.

Ohhh! Diddums!

And this from the bloke who last week said Apple was only a company!

Apple has never given a tinker's about market share.

If it was a marketshare game they'd be selling five times as many things and making less money, but they aren't.

What was the number quoted last year in the mobile phone market? Way less than 10% market share if I recall, and 80 or was it 90% of the profit from the sector.

There's nothing sad for Apple shareholders about not having he most units sold.

Cheers,

P

[Some Random Bloke]

Hmmm, beg to differ with iOS, BM. I think you're right re Macs, but it seems to me that they clearly care about maintaining their lead with smartphones and tablets.

[bitingmidge]

Xenophos, on 13 March 2012 - 01:12 PM, said:

Hmmm, beg to differ with iOS, BM. I think you're right re Macs, but it seems to me that they clearly care about maintaining their lead with smartphones and tablets.

Then look at the numbers: as of February Apple were claiming 9% of the units sold, 49% of revenue in the sector and 75% of the profit.

http://www.macrumors...endors-hits-75/

Cheers,

P

[Some Random Bloke]

Not debating the figures, or that they consider profits more important than marketshare, but that's 9% is of all mobile sales - I'm talking about % of smartphone sales that they care about.