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Apples Are For Grannies?
RoboJock writes "So much for Justin Long — the young, hip 'n' trendy face of the Apple Mac (as seen in the 'Mac vs. PC' ads) is even further removed from the average Mac owner than everyone suspected... By three or four decades. According to research discussed at Silicon.com, 'nearly half of Mac owners are 55 and older — that's almost double the share for average home-PC users.' It seems the young guns don't have the extra cash to stump up for smooth shiny aesthetics." From the article: "For the digital youth, high-street box shifter Gateway is the brand of choice, taking the number-one slot among PC buyers aged between 18 and 25. Dan Ness, principal at MetaFacts, said in a statement: 'Apple can claim long-time loyalists but its future among the young technoliterati is an interesting dynamic.'"
And Gateway is their client. Suprise Suprise...
s _background.htm
http://www.metafacts.com/pages/corporate/metafact
Young people use P2P, play video games and use readily available pirated software and are generally have education expenses and loans to pay with start-of-the-career budget. As a result expensive system that emphasizes aesthetics, hardly has any games, up until recently had problems with various P2P and is limited in readily available pirated software (due to lower market share) does not appeal to such demographics.
The baby boomers! The most self-absorbed generation of Americans who largely continue to live in denial about the fact that they are very close to being "senior citizens" instead of the "hip youth" they were back in the 60s and 70s!
...young people prefer cheap little cars to Jaguar, BMW, and Mercedes. What do they know that people with money don't?
Sleep is for the Weak
Old people just want their computers to work. No driver loading, virus scanning, malware removing... just plug the camera in and press a button to publish it on the web yadda yadda.
Shit, when I get home I just want my computer to work.
This
Need I say more?
If price were the only issue I'm sure you'd see Linux based cheapo boxes in this demographic as well but I doubt they have any greater marketshare than other markets.
Apple's major selling point many years back at the start of the Windows Vs. Mac wars was user friendliness.
Windows was still relatively primitive and its major appeal was just to have a graphical shell on top of the then commonly-used MS-DOS. Mac OS was already graphical from the ground up, without the daunting command-line. Plus, Macs already came with the OS installed, so you didn't have to worry about first learning text commands and then installing the OS from a series of floppy disks.
That appeal still lives on with Macs as being user-friendly. The age range of 55 years and above is not as abundant with technoliteri (I LOVE that word!) as the younger ~25 year old group. Us younger people are, as the article says, budgeted. I myself wouldn't touch Gateway (bad experiences with them), but the point stands.
But to be honest, and not to be troll, I found Mac OS X to be relatively stupified in comparison to other OS's that I've used. OS X is pretty and all, but I prefer 'functional' over 'shiny' and I like to really dig into the inner workings of the OS that I use. OS X doesn't entirely appeal to my demographic for that reason, which is why it appeals to people who just want to use a computer and have it work without having to mess with it any more than they need to.
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Exactly! It's not so much the advertising, it how many parents and grandparents ask someone savvy in the family what computer they should get. You say what most of us say: "Get a Mac." Nobody wants to clean an exploit out of a relative's XP machine.
The opportunity here is getting to the point where it's as easy to give them Ubuntu.
There is no fscking way I'm inflicting Windows on her. System administration aside, she knows nothing about the social engineering hazards out there -- email scams, phishing scams, the vast cornucopia of malware...
Linux is an option, but it would take me weeks to build and tweak a configuration to the point that I'm happy with it and feel it would serve her needs, and I don't have that kind of time (although Ubuntu out of the box is darned close). Further, she has little interest in exploring computing for its own sake.
So that leaves Mac/OS-X. And, frankly, of the three, I think she'd be happiest with that.
So I don't think it's economic factors at work. I think it's because seniors have highly-developed bullshit filters, refined over decades of experience, and have figured out that Macs Just Work.
Schwab
Editor, A1-AAA AmeriCaptions
...but I can't help but say that everytime I see Mac zealots and ads they claim one thing and stats say the other. Color me surprised that they don't actually have a foothold in the "young and hip" crowd, next up sky blue, water wet....groan, more than half the things the Mac ads claim are reasons I stopped using a Mac. Personally I like gaming, so in that I find a Mac pretty dull and lifeless compared to a Wintel machine I can custom build for a 1/3 of the price. Personally when I see the Mac ads I think the young and hip guy...
1. has a social problem because he can't stop comparing himself to windows, it's called self-esteem buddy, get some. doubly funny in that the ads now claim Windows is the one who keeps comparing himself, but I've personally never heard of MS talking about Apple as realistic competition.
2. has a small amount of features that he sure has gotten good at cause he hasn't expanded his horizons to do other things
3. pretty boring in that he isn't capable of a lot of tasks I would find useful
4. Is convinced he knows security even though the company keeps releasing security updates and is this month's record breaker
5. Is no fun at my LAN parties cause he sits there saying I'm not compatible with that game, let's play solitaire or use the way back machine to play Marathon, or play the game of sit and wait 2-5 years for a developer to release a new to Mac game (which is usually too old by pc standards)
6. Well he is pretty. Unfortunately a bit vacant (see 1-5) so he ends up in the Mimbo category at parties
Rant off and thank you for browsing at -1 to see my lame commentary.
When I was 18-25, I ate a lot of ramen and PBJ, drove the piece of shit truck I could afford, slept on a mattress on the floor of a group house, and had to go in with 3 other guys to get cable. I was poor and frankly didn't give a shit about most of that stuff. I knew there was better stuff out there, but it was more important to me to spend my money on fun stuff. These days I drive a reliable station wagon, eat healthy and I'm saving up for a house.
Newsflash: youngsters don't have a lot of money, and don't really care about long-term quality. They are more impulsive and spend money all over the place because their interests have not settled down yet. They're more likely to want a hot new computer/iPod/phone/jacket etc long before their current one wears out. That means buying often, which means buying cheap.
Not many youngsters own new cars either, but I'd hardly say that spells doom for the car companies. People grow up, and coincedentally when they can afford nicer stuff, they tend to become more interested in quality.
Build a man a fire, he's warm for one night. Set him on fire, and he's warm for the rest of his life.
For youngsters, Apple seems to be a high-end "mall-brand", but often times no more expensive than other brands when you start to compare features and software bundles.Except that most "PC's" are available without lots of extras that youngsters don't want.
:)). Bottom line though is that a lot of us simply don't want all that stuff.
I'm sure than when you consider the onboard GPS, the heated cup holders, high-end surround sound, leather interior, etc, that a BMW stacks up rather well compared to a Kia of comparable features (if Kia made such things
"People who think they know everything are very annoying to those of us who do."-Mark Twain
While its true that the 55+ demographic has a lot of disposable income, there's a reason the 18-25 demographic is the most coveted. Young people buy more junk and we're probably less immune to fads. Older people have generally lost interest in these things, or maybe they have the wisdom required to not get caught up in the marketing bullshit.
I'd wager a guess that 55+ demographic is the one that has the most people using old iMacs or some Dell box from 1997, because "its good enough for them" or "it still works great!" Its that 18-25 demographic that wants the latest and great.
That's a British site, isn't it? Terms like "high street" and "granny" are not used much in American English. Was the study done in England or the U.S.? It wouldn't surprise me if Apple's penetration among the young is much less in the U.K. and Europe. It's always been something of an American phenomenon.
While maybe most of those young hipster types aren't able to afford Apple computers, they are definitely buying scores of IPods. This feeds a brand loyalty and interest in Apple as a whole and then can lead towards them eventually purchasing Apple hardware.
The reality is when you do an apples to apples comparison (pun unintended), Apple's are not expensive. Go out and buy a dual woodcrest workstation from random PC vendor and see what kind of price they are charging you. What makes Apple seem expensive is that the average person will compare that against a desktop PC with half the power and think it's a valid comparison.
Generally speaking Apple systems are more of a long term investment and so it costs more. Overall you're probably getting better quality for your dollar, but if you only have a few dollars, that doesn't matter much. While the other PC vendors are fighting for every little cent on sub $400 PC's, Apple is selling $2500 PC's and making enormous margins.
I'd rather be in Apple's position than Gateway's.
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There's a couple of religions in the ad industry that say "Never underestimate the stupidity of the American public". I'm in the industry and I disagree with that. People will spend millions of dollars trying to come up with 30 seconds of audio/visual information that will surprise the publics mind into paying attention, without necessarily offering substance. I agree with you that commercials should not appeal to the lowest common denominator, that's a way of appealing to the largest market that will not even make a decision about your product. You may find the mac commercials insulting, but most people do not need a computer. Apple is just trying to sell their product to people who don't have time to learn about computers and want it done for them. Mostly people don't need computers with the exception of e-mail. Put everyone at home with a 486 that runs a DOS e-mail program and that would be the extent of their need.
Just my 2 cents.
-You have been modded appropriately-
As someone who uses a Mac and a PC daily, I think some of the commercials are funny but a couple of them are a bit misleading. I think that implying that Macs are for certain stuff and PCs are for other stuff is pretty annoying. I'd rather they use blatant sex to sell stuff then try to mislead people.
Small problem with your logic; its time constrained. You are right... until they start to feel comfortable with the features they currently have, then they begin to wonder if they can get that MP3 thingy working, or maybe see what all this 'MySpace' brooha is all about... then you have problems, and that is why the Mac is getting the 'older generation' image... Its safer than using windows, and it just works...
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Never thought I would hear someone equate any Toyota with 'an old-persons car.' Buick and Pontiac maybe, but any Toyota? To me a Camry is just reliable no frills transportation. It's not young or old, it just is :)
"Just like the Mustang is all the rage now with the 45-55 male set. It reminds them of when they were 18 and they used to lust after the original Mustangs."
Does that mean I'll be lusting after 18 yr old girls when I hit 45?
It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
Mac users upgrade within the Mac family, Windows users within the Windows family.
I suspect you'll find that if the Mac demographic skews older and more affluent now, it is because Mac users skewed older and more affluent then.
That the Intel Macs can dual boot windows is also a significant factor.
Not in the least. Vitalization is for the young. No one in the boomer generation is looking forward to the agony and expense of maintaining two operating systems, software libraries and skill sets.
Microsoft with its Vista madness and other idiocies seems to be determined to self-destruct.
Microsoft isn't marketing Vista to the Geek and the concerns about Vista that obsess the Geek have gone virtually unnoticed everywhere else.
The opportunity here is getting to the point where it's as easy to give them Ubuntu.True. For just web browsing and email for a non-techie, Linux is pretty close. The problem is when they call you and say "how do I do this [digital photography] thing I've heard about"? Where [digital photography] could be GPS mapping or digital movie making or DVD burning or something else. My elderly relatives can figure out things like iLife (iPhoto, iMovie, Garage Band, etc.), but if they were using Ubuntu I wouldn't even have any idea what to tell them. Plus, I wouldn't have an answer for "you setup my computer for me and now you tell me I can't use iTunes/iPod with it?? The clerk at the store said that iTunes works on all computers (Mac AND PC)."
Avoid Missing Ball for High Score
Microso$t just can't win around these parts. Can you imagine the hue and cry of MONOPOLY MONOPOLY if MS required hardware and driver certification in order for the product to run under Windows. 'Poor little so and so can't bring his new joystick to market because he can't afford the $25,000 cost of the "Microsoft Hardware Certification" - Isn't MS evil??!' and so forth.
fuck being young (and broke and ignorant.)
I feel that everything in my life has prepared me to enjoy life and to live well (the best revenge.)
And if some snot-nosed little git can't stand the pace, tough.
The characterization of 'granny' applies to everybody who kid has had a kid. I knew woman who was a granny at 32 (one oops after another.)
She wasn't old but the WAS stupid and so was her daughter, (and they were both very fertile.)
Eat my dust...
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Bingo. it's the same with most "clubs" these days (except for sports clubs). They are a thing of the past. Everybody has their club meeting on Myspace or Slashdot instead. Also, many younger people want information from their "clubs" - and online gives the greatest diversity of experience. Many older people go to clubs because they are lonely and use it as a social outlet - not necessarily to get information or help.
... and then they built the supercollider.
True. For just web browsing and email for a non-techie, Linux is pretty close.
Wow! Talk about damning with faint praise. Linux is pretty close to a state where a non-techie can run 2 applications?!?
Everyone I know who tries to use Linux (usually Ubuntu) for their desktop invariably tells me brief stories about how proud they are that they've gotten some aspect of it working correctly. (Some aspect that would just work on OS X or Windows.) Linux still has a long way to go.
You're right that I misparsed your original comment - Another good reason is that today there is very little important Mac-only software. Most of it is in the form of multimedia applications which have direct equivalents or even superior replacements on the PC. - I somehow only paid attention to the second sentence (and I assure you I read your whole comment twice). For this I apologize. I am not out to find faults. If I simply wanted to distort other people's comments, rest assured I could have replied to many other comments.
I agree a lot more with the correctly parsed stanza above, but I'm still not agreeing completely. For one thing, even though "multimedia" by its very definition means nothing deeper than "two or more media in conjunction", what I think of when I hear "multimedia" are trashy 1998-era CD-based full screen more-or-less slideshows with a speaker voice. I suspect I'm not alone in this. There's another common conflict like this, that of what to read when someone says "PC". Does it mean "IBM PC-compatible" or does it mean "PC, short for personal computer" as a larger whole? It's up to the original writer to define it deeper, and it will certainly vary.
Secondly, you're right that the overbearing exclusivity is long gone. The days of "desktop publishing = Mac" and its cousin "A/V editing = Mac" have been over for quite some time, but I think it's an over-generalization to claim *as fact* (if the "the simple fact" modifier extended beyond the comma in the second-to-last sentence) that there are "no other major Mac-only applications". It all depends on how you define major and in which field of work, and hinges on you knowing every possible application in all fields of work if you mean "in general". It's too fuzzy to be able to apply with the finality you seem to want to lend it.
"Important" also seems very subjectively defined. If, as you say, one of the two most common purposes for using a Mac is "general home computing", there's a lot of applications that suddenly qualify as important - certainly a fair number of which are Mac-only.
There aren't as many Mac-only applications as there used to be, but this doesn't in any way block Mac-only applications from offering features only found on the Mac platform, just as there are Windows-only applications taking advantage of, say, Windows XP-only features. Unless you are willing to point to an empirical and universally accepted definition of "major application" and the field of work in which applications competing for this status would live, I'm not okay with you claiming it as fact, if that was what you were doing.
Let me note again that I'm okay with you holding these as your opinions. (Why wouldn't I be?) I'm taking issue, however, with conflating opinion with fact, like stating "there are no other major Mac-only applications", a statement that seems fairly ridiculous to someone who's been using Mac OS X for a number of years, like me.