Several other posts offer informed speculation on Apple’s future, dealing mostly with direct issues of product lines, finances, etc. In particular I just read an outstanding post by DawnTreader.

Since that covers so well the more technical aspects, I’ll focus on the social side that intrigues me equally: a significantly growing proportion of college students in the last few years showing up with iPods, iPhones, and MacBooks. It’s not only for routine entertainment and socializing, but as an integral part of their matriculation with coursework, lectures, and extracurricular activities increasingly available.

I see this as maybe the most powerful visible element in how Apple will grow. These students are becoming probably the largest group of per capita users who’ll “HAVE TO” have the whatever-Apple-calls-a-netbook, and who knows what else. As they graduate and enter the recovering work force, they’ll want more of these in their offices and in the field. More demand. More innovation.

At home, they’ll be so Appleized that any higher actual cash outlay for Macs and companion gadgets will become less of an obstacle for many, because they’ll take for granted the pleasure and ease of use, plus the software (and, sure, the cachet.) So you can bet that their little bundles of recombined DNA will be grabbing and drooling all over an iRattle in their iCrib as soon as their fine motor skills will allow.

All that depends, of course, on the product lines, hardware base, stable finances, etc. discussed so well in DawnTreader’s and other posts. Meanwhile, in the social context, this “Apple boom” looks to me like one of the more visible forces that I trust will keep providing me with better and better Macs for a long time.

I’ve moved this topic to the education forum with a redirection link in the original forum. The topic straddles education and Apple strategy issues and should receive exposure in both forums.

And it is not only college students fueling the boom.  It seems that the financial analysts that cover MSFT has a disproportionate number of MacBooks as well.