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Study finds Macs account for 11% of corporate computers, Windows XP dominates

by Steven Sande Jun 23rd 2011 at 5:00PM

After 27 years of existence, the Mac may finally be getting some respect in corporations. According to a study by research firm Forrester, Macs have jumped from 9.1% of all computers in enterprises in April, 2010 to 11% in March of 2011. The study looked at 400,000 computers from 2,500 companies that accessed the Forrester.com website.

Why the big leap in acceptance? Forrester's Ben Gray noted that some companies are yielding to pressure from employees who want to use their own machines at work. This trend is referred to as the "consumerization" of the enterprise, and Gray mentioned that "Empowered workers attracted to BYO [bring your own] device programs are quickly coming to expect Mac and iOS support."

There was no mention of the so-called Apple "Halo Effect" being at work, although anecdotal evidence points toward many iPod, iPhone, and iPad users later embracing Macs for work and home. This could be a factor in why workers are beginning to take their Macs into the workplace.

While Mac OS X use in the enterprise is climbing, Windows XP -- which Microsoft will officially drop support for in April, 2014 -- is still the primary OS in use in big business with close to a 60% share of the installed base. Windows 7 powers about 21% of corporate computers, with the remaining share being divided between Linux and Windows Vista.

[via MacWorld UK]



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8 Comments

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Jason

Interesting since they build far superior machines.... oh wait, at far superior prices. AH!

June 24 2011 at 10:27 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Nirvana

This would be even higher but there are a ton of anti-apple IT managers out there, who are proud to say they have never used a Mac, and will never buy apple products even it's the better choice. I deal with this every day.

June 23 2011 at 11:45 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
D-dub

The thing to keep in mind is that this is not a linear progression. If an IT department doesn't support mac and someone or something(iPad) forces down that barrier, large portions of that company's users are going to opt for Macs because that's what they use at home. So one new user doesn't beget another, but brings dozens or hundreds.

June 23 2011 at 6:04 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
ikelleigh

No kidding. You ever work in a corporate office environment? The crap they supply you with is cheap hardware with minimum memory and drive space, and often break down after a year.

June 23 2011 at 5:37 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to ikelleigh's comment
isthisreallybad

That's a pathetic joke and even worse as an excuse. It's work, not your own happy little playground. We don't need you and your ridiculously insecure machine, which *will* introduce worms/viruses/trojans into the corporate network.

Thank you, no.

June 23 2011 at 6:00 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to isthisreallybad's comment
Brian Flores

So have you ever actually worked in a corporate IT environment, or are you just talking smack based on watching "The IT Crowd" on BBC? You want to talk ridiculously insecure? I watched 2 directors scream at one another one day arguing about whose fault it was that a virus was propagating through a Windows network while a very expensive piece of networking hardware was burning itself out.

And "It's work, not your own happy little playground"? With that kind of attitude, your employees don't need computers, just sewing machines to make soccer balls and chains to keep them from wandering away from their workstations.

June 24 2011 at 9:14 AM Report abuse rate up rate down
isthisreallybad

@Brian, yes and I've _run_ those departments in various small/medium businesses. Your comment doesn't add anything to the discussion nor your anecdote. Work is for work. Leave your leisure habits at home where they belong and lose the entitlement of doing things your way and not your employers way.

June 25 2011 at 8:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down
GoonerYoda

Give you enough to get your job done. Nothing more. Nothing less. Now get back to working on those TPS reports or else you're coming in on Saturday.

June 23 2011 at 8:07 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
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