Both Apple, Windows PCs to get business lift

A new ChangeWave study suggests that the release of Windows 7 and a slightly recovered economy are helping regular PC sales at work but aren't slowing down an increase in adoption of Macs at the workplace. Dell and HP should benefit from a slight increase in corporate sales with a respective 33 percent and 18 percent companies planning to buy both desktops and notebooks from the two. Apple, however, is expected to grow at the same time: while the number of companies buying Mac desktops is remaining flat at about 7 percent, the number of those buying MacBooks has grown to 10 percent.

The figure represents an all-time high for Apple since the company began studying sales where the others are primarily recovering to February 2008 levels.

Part of the effect stems from a relatively middling reactions to the new OS. While 93 percent of those who had tried Windows 7 were either somewhat or very satisfied with the OS, that hasn't translated into significant decisions to move up upgrades at the office. About 19 percent plan any sort of change, but only 3 percent plan a "significant" change to get Windows 7 into their businesses early.

The early figures mirror predictions made by Steve Ballmer earlier in the year. He foresaw little help from Windows 7 to Microsoft's bottom line as all users, especially corporate buyers, are still likely to only replace their computers and OS when existing hardware becomes obsolete.

It's not known what's leading to Apple's increase, though native Exchange 2007 support in Snow Leopard may contribute to the results along with overall less expensive MacBooks and MacBook Pros from the past few months.

By Electronista Staff

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computers, industry, Dell, HP, Windows 7, Apple