Apple Computer owners are old people?
December 2nd, 2006 Leave a comment Visited 46 times, 1 so far today
Apple Computer owners are old people?
Apple might showcase itself as the maker of computing devices for the hip generation but studies say something very different.
A market research firm Metafacts has stated that nearly half of Apple’s customers are 55 or older. Their report claims that 46 percent of Apple customers are at least 55 years old.
This totally goes against the general perception that Apple iPod are preferred by younger generations and they are more likely to buy a Mac rather than a PC.
Apple responded to this report by saying: “MetaFacts data is incorrect. Our customer data shows that only around 20 percent of Mac users are over the age of 55. The Mac is more popular than ever, and we are thrilled that our products appeal to people of age 1 to 100.”
The research group added that 25.2 percent of PC users are over the age of 55. Dan Ness, principal at MetaFacts added: “Apple can claim long-time loyalists, but its future among the young technoliterati is an interesting dynamic. Gateway has the lead among the 18 to 24 year olds, with a higher-than-average share of U.S. homes’ primary PC users falling into this age group.”
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December 2nd, 2006 at 6:33 am
not true. i know more then 100 mac users personally and only 2 are over 55.
December 2nd, 2006 at 11:02 am
Umm, I am a loyal mac man myself, but 100 people? That is a hardly a decent size pool to pull from. What if I knew 10 mac users and they were all over 55? That comment holds no water and pissed me off this early in the morning.
December 2nd, 2006 at 1:29 pm
I bought my first Mac, a Mac SE FDFH, when I was 20 after being exposed to Apple’s operating system on my brother’s Mac. I’m 37 now and soon I’ll be buying a Mac Pro.
December 2nd, 2006 at 11:13 pm
This article surprises me greatly. I have always assumed that Mac users are generally for the younger generation only and to hear that 46 percent of Apple customers are 55 and over changes my perception of Apple and also my perception of the older generation in general. Although I love the Apple iPod I still have not yet converted to using Mac computers. To be honest, when I see others using them they look really different and cool, but also seem very confusing to me. Although this may be a vast generalization, I consider people over the age of 55 to not be as technologically advanced as the younder generation and knowing that they can use a Mac helps to show that it is user friendly. My question is how did the older generation even begin to get attracted to Apple computers? Their campaigns are obviously catered to the younger crowd, I feel like even their products in general are geared towards young adults. So what makes the seniors buy the Mac?
December 3rd, 2006 at 12:28 am
The answer to both data sets (Apples and Metafacts) is clear. If you have ever owned a Mac you know how much less support it requires. Even if you use a PC every day what are you going to buy your parents? A computer that you will have to come over every month and de-virus, or a Mac so they can take pictures and mail the grandkids without ever calling for help? The answer is obvious. Apples data is on who actully bought the computer, the children. My mom is 78 and uses her Mac Mini 6 hours a day. I was the one who actually purchased all her computers.
December 3rd, 2006 at 3:50 am
It makes sence to me. OSX is so simple to use compared to microsoft windows that many older people will want to buy macs. OSx is so advanced it is simple. Older people want a stree free inviroment that offers a user friendly experance. Also, apple may be loseing out on some of the young crowd due to the fact that many of them play many video games. Even through macs can run windows and play every game, many people due not know that. Also, on a mac you dont need to play video games. You can make a movie or song, and that is more productive and fun than almost any video game.
Apple is very popular in colleges .
December 3rd, 2006 at 5:40 am
It said “customers” not “users.”
How many kids in college are buying their own Macs?
I _used_ two different iBooks my ‘rents bought me over the last few years in school, but that doesn’t make me a “customer.”
Grandparents and parents buy them, not necessarily use them. This study is absurdly baseless. I don’t even want to know thier methodology. 55%!? I don’t even know what they used to determine who a “customer” was. So a 70 year old who bought the first Mac and no other computer since is an “Apple customer.”
I’ve also never heard of this company. Sounds like they want to make a cheap press release to get people to hire them for stats. Assuming people are that naive.
December 4th, 2006 at 9:06 pm
Not by my rigorously precise sampling system – I look at what my students are using. BUT, having seen the study, I’ve asked, and noted that many of the students’ Apple laptops were bought by parents/grandparents. This is consistent with the comments from Tim (above).
OTOH 56.742% of all statistics are made up on the spot :)
… and yes, I know that 100% of my sample are “users” under the age of 55
December 5th, 2006 at 3:03 am
I am a retired school teacher (slightly over 55), and I have used and purchased Macs ever since they became a classroom teaching aid. Most schools were introduced to the computer age with Macs. Most of my teacher friends have embraced the Mac because of its ease of use, educational software, and its stable performance. I will continue to purchase Macs when I feel the need to update.
December 5th, 2006 at 6:35 am
I believe it. I, myself, am 55 and I first learned computer on an Apple II. I switched to the PC because of my employers and switched back about 4 years ago. I have since belonged to two Apple User Groups and, in each case, there were more people my age in the club than others. Why? I think perhaps, it is because Apple has a very high brand loyalty factor and people who learned on an apple stuck with it over the years.
December 7th, 2006 at 1:59 am
I tend not to believe any “research” study conducted by magazines that accept advertising. They are always biased and rarely accurate. There are many organizations that conduct computer usage surveys.