MacBook Air accounts for 20% of Apple’s laptop sales
By Jonathan Schlaffer
The popularity of the MacBook Air has surprised me; that doesn’t mean I’ve changed my mind about it but Apple users feel differently. The MacBook Air is so popular that it has pushed Apple’s share of the computer market to 14% with 20% of its laptop sales accounted for by the MacBook Air.
Apple needs to boost the graphics power of the MacBook, either by improving the Intel X3100 drivers or by installing a discrete graphics chip/card. The MacBook is quite popular as well and MacBook Pro sales were up too.
I panned the MacBook Air and I still do. As the Mac Observer points out, the MacBook Air fills a niche within Apple’s product line but it’s a niche that didn’t need filled. The $1,700 premium it demands isn’t worth it and a similarly configured MacBook will have a faster processor and more hard drive space.
As the author put it, “some advanced users thought it was underpowered and not suitable for them.” It is underpowered and it is not suitable for anyone. Obviously some Mac users just don’t know which product they should actually be buying.
The MacBook Pro is the only laptop Apple makes that is actually worth owning, though, I wish the company would come out with the rumored design revision; when/if it does, I’ll be off like a rocket to buy it.
I have and will continue to ignore the MacBook Air; it’s barely a computer.
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March 19th, 2008
What would be nice is if Apple actually got around to putting the LED backlit displays on the Macbooks. They’ve had it for some time for the Pros — why not the Macbooks?
March 20th, 2008
To say that the MacBook Air “isn’t suitable for anyone” is sheer techno-snobbery. I don’t need tons of ports, or power, or storage space. I do need something I can easily tote around that still has a full keyboard and screen. In fact, I have a MacBook Pro that I’m going to sell because it’s too much computer for my needs–and a big fat pain to haul around. Please don’t insult others just because they have different needs or priorities than your own.
March 20th, 2008
Apple accounted for 14% of sales, not marketshare.