Conventional wisdom (and global market share numbers) suggests Apple sells far fewer PCs than titans like HP, Dell, and Acer. But does it always? Apple Watch quotes a report by the NPD Group that says a whopping 66% of machines sold for $1,000 or more in retail stores in the first quarter of this year were Macs.
NPD's numbers only cover brick-and-mortar outlets, but they're a sight to behold. While Macs only made up 14% of all retail PCs sold, NPD asserts, they accounted for 70% of $1,000+ desktops and 64% of $1,000+ notebooks in Q1. These numbers highlight an ongoing trend: NPD VP Stephen Baker told Apple Watch that Mac desktop sales grew 45% year-over-year, and Mac notebook sales went up "50 to 60 percent." By contrast, Windows desktops supposedly dipped 25%, and Windows laptops didn't budge.
Baker partly credits the Apple Stores for Apple's success in the retail world. He also believes consumers care more about a good user experience than value offerings packed with features: "What Apple drives home: This is a product that we own from factory to finger. . . . We exert some control so that you get the best experience. When you get in the store, we get you what you want." (Thanks to DailyTech for the tip.)
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