For all the talk of Apple’s sliding market share, it seems the California computer manufacturer is doing something right. Very right. 91% Right. I’m not talking about iPods. I’m not talking about iPhones. I’m actually talking about computers. Yes, Apple dominates one specific portion of the PC market, a portion that they sell to almost exclusively.
According to the NPD Group numbers for June of 2009, Apple sold 91% of computers to consumers spending over $1,000. Yes, you read that correctly. Nine out of every ten dollars spent on computers that cost over $1,000 went directly to Apple. While the company may not be performing as well as Windows-based PCs under $1,000, they’re absolutely gobbling up the market above that mark.
Seems like there’s actually something behind Tim Cook’s constant “we don’t sell the most computers, we sell the best” message. Windows may still own 90% of the total market, but Apple is blowing them away in the high-end market.
I would be interested to see whether or not this includes home-built machines. My guess would be no, and that might not be a large percentage, but it should at least be a significant percentage. When I think of spending more than a grand for a computer, it’s either to build a massive gaming rig, or to do serious media editing (the latter is a case where I would definitely buy a Mac, the former a PC).
At any rate, it’s clear that Apple has something right. They’re performing like Microsoft in the premium computing market, which is nothing to scoff at. Stay tuned for the ensuing “Macs are still really f***ing expensive” ads.
