Apple sees potential in Windows 7 launch

By Jake Widman
Saturday, 17 October 2009 01:12

Strategy

Apple senior vice president Phil Schiller told Business Week that the launch of Windows 7 "presents a very good opportunity for us."

Another Apple vice president, Brian Croll, told CNet that "users are really growing tired of Windows and the headaches it brings." Croll specifically cited the arduous upgrade from Windows XP as the latest example of those headaches. "We think a lot of folks will look at that as the straw that broke the camels back."

The Apple representatives declined to discuss planned TV ads, price cuts, or other specific promotional activities the company might undertake.

But as iTWire reported yesterday, the Mac market is already growing substantially faster than the PC market as a whole.

And Schiller cited figures showing that fewer than 20% of Windows users upgraded to Vista, while more than 70% of Mac users have upgraded their operating system over the same period of time.

Nevertheless, both Schiller and Croll were careful to temper their enthusiasm with a clear-eyed assessment of the personal computer market.

"We've been through these transitions before, and no matter how you look at it, it's still Windows," says Schiller. "When all is said and done, the Mac picks up share a bit at a time."