Will Windows PCs/laptops get a boost in sales?

[ian87w]

With Apple transitioning to their own silicons, I'm sure many people are not comfortable leaving x86. Seems like a great opportunity for PC OEMs to buff up their lineups to try pulling these users, especially in the beginnings where Apple is still in transition.

Hopefully we can see some really nice offerings from the major OEMs like HP and Dell.

 

[maflynn]

The market share is so skewed in favor of PCs (almost 90%), that any defections will not really show up. I don't think there will be a mass exodus by the Mac faithful, so those who leave will be a tiny minority imo

 

[ian87w]

The market share is so skewed in favor of PCs (almost 90%), that any defections will not really show up. I don't think there will be a mass exodus by the Mac faithful, so those who leave will be a tiny minority imo

Numbers wise, you are correct, but they are premium consumers who are willing to buy computers in the $1k and above segment.

I do hope to see some OEMs like HP or Dell try something (like having a fancy redesign on their own).

 

[maflynn]

Dell try something

Dell already has some stunning designs.

 

[sracer]

Dell already has some stunning designs.

Exactly. It is one reason why PC laptop manufacturers are able to enter the stratospheric price range of upper tier Macbook Pros.

I think that the percentage of current Macbook users who would be spooked off the platform because of ARM processors probably amounts to a rounding error in the percentage of marketshare.

 

[GoldfishRT]

Like others here I do not think it will amount to anything for other manufacturers. The transition will be a minor inconvenience for me, much like the majority of other 'casual' MacOS users.

 

[DaveWil]

My company is having that discussion today on whether we should stop buying Macs and stop Mac support. It is just talk and we need to see what is going to really happen but it is sad that this conversation has started. Personally if I can't run a windows VM I can't use a Mac for work. That is still years out, but it is concerning.

 

[KPOM]

With Apple transitioning to their own silicons, I'm sure many people are not comfortable leaving x86. Seems like a great opportunity for PC OEMs to buff up their lineups to try pulling these users, especially in the beginnings where Apple is still in transition.

Hopefully we can see some really nice offerings from the major OEMs like HP and Dell.

I think Apple is looking to expand sales of the Mac by opening it up to all the software of iOS and iPadOS.

 

[maflynn]

I think Apple is looking to expand sales of the Mac by opening it up to all the software of iOS and iPadOS.

They didn't need to move to Ax, as you can run iOS apps already in MacOS (using intel cpus).

 

[LeeW]

Creatives, developers and casual users, none will really be affected by this transition. Who is left?

All the integrated Apple Apps including Final Cut are apparently ready to go, Microsoft has converted Office, although they already had for their own SQ1 chip on the Surface Pro X, Adobe is working on or has completed the transition. Most apps will be recompiled for ARM simply enough, for the remainder some tweaking and pain but there is enough time for most to get it done before the first devices arrive.

I mean, 1st gen is going to be painful, but Apple is going all in, one more round of Intel chips in the iMac by the looks of it then all ARM. Apple will bring developers to heel with incentives to speed the process up.

Only time will tell how this will go.

 

[grmlin]

developers that don't use Xcode and develop apps for Apple systems will have a hard time I think

 

[LeeW]

developers that don't use Xcode will have a hard time I think

Developers that use Xcode have a hard time.

 

[grmlin]

Developers that use Xcode have a hard time.

?

But at least it will still just work after the transition

 

[mmomega]

Dell already has some stunning designs.

They should bring back the Dell Dude.

 

[KPOM]

They didn't need to move to Ax, as you can run iOS apps already in MacOS (using intel cpus).

But this way they get better integration.

 

[LeeW]

But this way they get better integration.

There is no denying that, whilst the wall in the walled garden gets higher the advantages for users are pretty significant.

 

[maflynn]

There is no denying that, whilst the wall in the walled garden gets higher the advantages for users are pretty significant.

While I'm not trying to sound like I'm making excuses, and it may be due to my being away from the platform for a couple of years, but I do wonder how many people fully leverage the integration as it stands now, never mind any possible increase

 

[KPOM]

While I'm not trying to sound like I'm making excuses, and it may be due to my being away from the platform for a couple of years, but I do wonder how many people fully leverage the integration as it stands now, never mind any possible increase

As far as I know, consumer Macs do not currently ship with a way of running iOS and iPadOS apps. Now they will. There are likely performance and/or UI-based reasons why they haven’t done that until now. My guess is performance.

Apple specifically touted the fact that Macs will be built on the same core platform as iOS and iPadOS as leading to greater integration. It potentially works in the other direction, as well. We might actually see a large iPad Pro that doubles as a MacBook (or could be branded as such).

 

[DaveWil]

Creatives, developers and casual users, none will really be affected by this transition. Who is left?

Every developer I know is worried. We all use Macs and still do some to all of our work in Windows VMs. We will have to move to windows machines. The only exception is the two developers I know that work for Apple. If they end Intel support it game over for everyone I know.

 

[ian87w]

Every developer I know is worried. We all use Macs and still do some to all of our work in Windows VMs. We will have to move to windows machines. The only exception is the two developers I know that work for Apple. If they end Intel support it game over for everyone I know.

They mentioned being able to VM Linux. Wouldn't that be possible for Window as well?

 

[GoldfishRT]

They mentioned being able to VM Linux. Wouldn't that be possible for Window as well?

Many Linux distros are available in ARM flavors. I don't think there's currently any way to get the ARM version of Windows. At best, we'll get emulation which will absolutely suck for anything that requires speed. The fact that Apple ommited mentioning Windows is worth 1000 words.

 

[ian87w]

Many Linux distros are available in ARM flavors. I don't think there's currently any way to get the ARM version of Windows. At best, we'll get emulation which will absolutely suck for anything that requires speed. The fact that Apple ommited mentioning Windows is worth 1000 words.

Ah you're right, they specifically mentioned Linux but skipped Windows.
Oh well, thus why my thread title. Seems like there will a golden window of opportunity, and hopefully these PC OEMs look at it and offer some fantastic products to entice the potential switchers.

 

[maflynn]

Now they will

You missed my point, you don't need an ARM processor to do that. While Apple is highlighting examples of why it makes sense for them to switch to their own silicon, running iOS apps simply isn't one of them, since Apple has project Catalyst. Its immaterial as to whether its in the hands of consumers, simply because Apple doesn't have any ARM based macs yet anyways.

They mentioned being able to VM Linux. Wouldn't that be possible for Window as well?

Nope, just ARM based operating systems, i.e., Linux. While MS does have a ARM based version of windows, I don't think its for sale stand alone, nor is it set to run under Apple's Ax architecture, maybe it will in the future but I don't think today it's a viable alternative.

 

[grmlin]

I didn't get the whole Linux in a VM thing. It's not like a VM is something new? What was the point of it?

 

[1221320]

I think there will be a shift of people towards x86 laptops, but as someone said above, I don't think it will be much of a blip.

However, for those who are affected, it's certainly a big deal. I shifted to Windows when my 2011 Macbook Pro was due for retirement, but because of Apple's awful butterfly keyboards, I went with a ThinkPad X1 Carbon. After a year of use, that machine is doing me very well indeed (industry-leading keyboard, beautiful 4K screen).

But seeing as Apple had fixed their keyboards, I was pondering whether to go back to a Macbook Pro when this X1C retires. I do need to run some Windows apps for my job, and that was fine via Parallels. With ARM, it seems this won't be possible (that Linux build we saw running in Parallels during the demo was an ARM-compiled Linux distr).

So... looks like I'll stick with Windows. Fortunately, there are plenty of options, and I'd likely be looking at an all-metal laptop for my next one (the X1C is a fingerprint nightmare, and while the keyboard is the best in the industry, the trackpad is possibly the worse).

Those looking for all-metal Windows laptops with a trackpad comparable to a Macbook Pro would probably be quite pleased with a Razer Blade.