These days Mac has the reputation as the computer of choice for the young and hip – and Apple’s advertising campaigns have been quick to capitalize on that image.
However, a new study conducted by MetaFacts has discovered that nearly half of Mac owners are 55 and older, which is double the share for average PC users. Apparently, users between the ages of 18-25 prefer cheap Windows computers like Gateway.
Dan Ness, principal at MetaFacts, said in a statement: “Apple can claim long-time loyalists but its future among the young technoliterati is an interesting dynamic.”
Could this be true? Possibly. Keep in mind that Mac owners represent a small segment of the overall computing industry when compared to Microsoft. Plus, OS X is only available on Macs and, generally speaking, Macs are more expensive than your average PC. All things considered, you are going to need a little extra cash to pick up a Mac and most 18-25 year olds simply can’t afford it.
The MetaFacts study has also determined that more than two-thirds of Macs in current use were bought since 2004. This seems to lend credence to the iPod Halo Effect, a term for the phenomenon that occurs when owning an iPod causes users to switch from the PC to the Mac. When combined with the fact that running multiple operating systems and virtualization is now possible on Intel Macs, I would imagine that Apple will continue to gain market share on Microsoft over the coming years. I know it prompted me to make the switch.
