Macs in high demand

In terms of individual brands, the Mac is currently the most sought-after computer in the US, according to ChangeWave Research. The group conducted a survey of over 4,000 Americans earlier this month, and discovered that of those planning to buy a computer in the next three months, 32 percent wanted some form of Mac. Apple is in fact the only company to have grown demand in both the desktop and notebook realms since July, pushing the former from 27 percent to 30, and the latter from 30 percent to 32.

The market is still largely owned by PCs however, Apple's main competition being Dell, which accounted for 28 percent of total demand in the ChangeWave survey. The company has specifically climbed three percentage points to 28 in the desktop market, although it has also slid from 32 percent in notebooks down to 28. HP has meanwhile taken serious hits, dropping three points in desktops to reach 17 percent, and four points in notebooks to occupy 20 percent.

"Apple's reached the tipping point," claims ChangeWave research director Paul Carton. "Where the early adopters and the discretionary spenders were leading the charge, now as we go into the 30 percent range, the change to Apple looks permanent. What we have in the end, actually we're sort of there now, is that buying an Apple is as normal as buying a Dell or an HP in America."

At least some of Apple's attention has been spurred by the iPhone 3G, given that 17 percent of those surveyed said they were more likely to buy a Mac because of it. In 2007, the 2.5G iPhone triggered a 6.5 percent increase in planned Mac purchases.

By Electronista Staff