Giga Group: Mac Platform Is Heading Into "Obsolescence," Apple Will Be Forced To Intel In 2003

by , 4:00 PM EST, October 28th, 2002

Continuing its strong tradition of not understanding Apple or the Mac platform, the Giga Information Group has reached a couple of startling conclusions in a report issued today. The report is called IT Trends 2003: Desktop and Mobile PCs (read the full report in PDF), written by Rob Enderle, and is part of a larger study under the umbrella name of IT Trends 2003. The first conclusion is that the Mac platform is all but irrelevant, and heading into "obsolescence," and the second, and just as groundless, claim is that Apple will be "forced" to go to Intel in 2003. The succinct paragraph detailing Apple's doom:

Apple is being driven out of every segment but consumer: Companies are driving out non-standard hardware and both increasingly view Linux as a better alternative platform and UNIX as a platform they don't want to resurge on the desktop. The lack of management tools, pull back of key vendors like Quark and an anticipated drop in market share below 2 percent in 2003 are obsolescing this platform. Apple's continued technical disadvantage against Intel is expected to force them to adopt x86 technology by the end of 2003.

This will all be happening despite what Mr. Enderle characterizes as animosity towards Microsoft from its customers:

Microsoft animosity: The license changes instituted by Microsoft in the previous period have clearly forced policy changes that should shift business away from the company long term. This will be slowed by the unavailability of reasonable alternatives — but the bar for that “reasonableness” has been lowered substantially and we expect certain accounts, like government, to be unusually aggressive when considering the alternatives through 2003.

You can find the full report at the Giga Information Group's Web site.

The Mac Observer Spin:

Mr. Enderle doesn't seem to be a fan of Apple, or the Mac platform, but we find it very interesting that he also has a complete lack of understanding concerning that platform. He should share notes with Bear Stearns analyst Andrew Neff; maybe the two could have lunch. Both have made a habit of announcing Apple's demise, as well as Apple's impending move to Intel, yet neither seem to note that Apple is still alive and kicking, and neither has the faintest clue as to what would be involved in Apple moving to Intel, and why *exactly* it won't happen.

The damage to Apple's business from asking its developers and customers to make yet another processor/operating switch to Mac OS X on Intel would far surpass the loss in sales the company suffers from having a lower clock speed on its processors. Mr. Enderle makes it seem as if switching over to a new processor is an action devoid of consequences.

As for the rest of Mr. Enderle's comments, they are merely a rehash of statements issued earlier this year. We offered extensive commentary at that time showing all of the ignorance, absurdity, and lunacy in his thoughts at that time. We would have hoped that he would have taken the opportunity to learn from that mistake, but it would appear otherwise.