Concurrent with reports that Apple seem to be doing well financially, the company seem to be tying the education market up nicely also. News reports from Macworld amongst other sites, are all nattering about Apple hitting the 'top spot' by emerging as the premier supplier for educational institutions within the UK. Research from Gartner Research finds that Apple is 'the number one computer manufacturer in the Western Europe education market for Q1 2009 with a 26.4 per cent of market share.'Here in the UK, the news is also good for Apple, in terms of the education market they hold 27.3 per cent of the market share. MacWorld states that this years' figures are considerably larger than those of 2008, a great improvement for the company.
All of this is very good news but, perhaps it is sensible to consider why Apple seems to be a popular choice for the education system in the UK and throughout Europe. As many of you are doubtless aware, Apple offers a yearly 'education discount' for students, teachers and education institutions alike, which is always a draw, especially if a free iPod and a discount is up for grabs. Apple state that one of their computers from the education store is 'the only computer you will need for the next four - or five or six - years'. A statement I have some reservations about.
It is all very well and good offering discounted products for students, most companies do, though Apple does offer other education services for free which makes its products popular for education. iTunes U is the first to come to come to mind. In a separate part of the iTunes store it offers students what Apple refers to as: 'possibly the world's greatest collection of free educational media available to students, teachers, and lifelong learners' in the form of pod casts and videos from some big name institutions on various topics. I've had a look and have found some of the language materials useful in gaining a basic grasp of a particular topic.
In short, Apple seem to be doing well in providing the education market, which is encouraging for student like myself. However, they could do more, It seems that pricing is an issue for most people, cheaper products (whether in education or not) would be welcome. Take note Apple.
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W-what? :|
To be honest, if school are getting educational iMacs or Mac Pros (to compile stuff for example in schools that need it), they're not getting ripped at all and it's worth the money man. They are there to last, it's great hardware and great software and a great package and it costs less in technicians and setup and maintenance time.
Its a waste of money to put an allready overpriced apple computer in a school when to preform like a PC ie run windows only (which lets face it is pretty much all) eduction software a full license of windows totaling $250 must be purchased . And what do you have afterwards ? An under powered overpriced computer that ends up running windows all day long with the ability to rurn apples rubbish bundled software.
A shuttle could do the same thing for half the price with the same reliability (Same parts Same reliability) .
Last edited by bob21 on 04 Jun 2009 - 05:04
Listen, if you don't like Apple software, too bad for you. But it's not the case for the rest of the world, and Apple's software as well as third-party software on the Mac have a lot of power. You probably haven't touched to a Mac seriously in a long time to say that, because when I tried a Mac for the first time, I had bad ideas about Macs anchored in my head for about 5 years.
And if they buy Macs, I don't think it's to put Windows on it and shut down OS X all the time. They *could* do this, but then, what's the point in getting Apple's hardware if it's to use Windows?
All crocodile programs are windows only.
About 99% of all science programs are windows only.
PCB things like Axtel designer as windows only.
Office is supported on mac, OK that's one use so far.
Graphics wise then yes mac has photoshop which people claim is better on a mac, well I've used it on a mac and on windows and in my view the mac version is appauling, no window maximising or anything, much harder to use.
Never heard of math-programs for GCSE and beyond that will run on mac either..
Overall, windows can do what is required, for a FAR cheaper price than even the lowest end mac can.
My point exactly complete waste of money.
Last edited by bob21 on 04 Jun 2009 - 12:40
Second, schools are not getting MacBooks. They're getting desktops : iMacs and Mac Pros. The discount is better and there's even a special 17" iMac that doesn't figure in Apple's product list that is just for schools only.
APPLE MB466LL/A MACBOOK ALUM 13.3"/2.0GHZ/2GBR/160GB/SUPERDR Apple MB466LL/A MacBook Aluminum 13.3IN LED / 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor / 2GB DDR3 Memory / 160GB Hard Drive / SuperDrive / iSight
By: APPLE
Price: $1,449.00
BestBuy Price: $1399.99
Or better yet, don't. Apple never has (or will) have any interest in the lower-priced market. That's contradictory to their image. Apple's formula is to take an existing product, shine it up, dumb it down, and jack up the price. Single-buton mice or overpriced portable music players, anyone?
Apple's targert market doesn't want cheap. They want shiny.
And while Apple continues to do well in the Education sector, the article fails to mention that Dell and Microsoft also excel (no pun intended) with students and teachers.
To say Apple is "the premier supplier for educational institutions within the UK" is false.
I think the article is trying to say that Macs are a popular home/portable personal choice for students & teachers
I worked in a school as the IT manager for 5 years and have a wide knowledge of what other schools use.
How many schools use Macs? I can think most schools are 80% PCs from Dell, HP or custom builds. In fact HP do the best education deals around like lifetime warranty on network switches.
Macs are likely to be used in Graphic Design or Media classes but that's about it. I know there is a couple of schools that are 100% macs but they are few and far between.
Also, if anything, this is not a Microsoft vs. Apple win, it's a OEM vs Apple win
the best part? the yare all been sent to secondary education without knowing how to work a windows pc.... very helpful
On top of that, some tenured professors are now demanding macs because they are "more efficient" with them. Load of crap because I see them at the help desk more often than those professors running Windows.
My opinion... dumb people love Macs because they're shiny and "cool"... I hate living with idiots.
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