Apple seems to have bought some keywords on Google including, most interestingly, “download windows 7.” That’s right: every hax0r out to download Win7 will see a little ad from Apple saying “Upgrading to Windows 7? There’s never been a better time to switch to a Mac. Find out why.”
Computerworld tested a few other keywords, including “buy Windows 7″ and “Windows 7″ itself and the ads didn’t appear. Clearly they are looking for a “different” type of customer.
Why are the targeting pirates? It doesn’t make a lot of sense but it does make sense for Apple to target folks who are on the fence about Windows 7 and could be looking to download the OS for free rather than making the total jump. Those same swing-users could be swayed to roll over to OS X given enough prodding.
then why wouldnt they just steal osx?
Apple is FREAKING out!
Windows 7 is AWESOME!
as long as windows targets the general or business user and apple targets the media or technoligy tilted audience neither will be out. windows sucessfully targeted a large audience and now apple is catching up rather successfully.
Yes. I hear they’re now up to 4% of computers sold from 2%. That’s a move from ‘insignificant’ to ’slightly less insignificant’.
And they only had to have their competition drop the ball with the most unpopular desktop OS ever and spend billions of dollars on ads to do it.
@Mark A.
Yes, maybe worldwide but I think you’ll find US usage is closer to 10%. But keep telling yourself you are right – maybe you will still believe it.
Apple simply sees an opportunity for more customers. They are not at all threatened by Windows 7. It’s still just Windows after all. I also don’t buy Crunchgears story. Their anti-apple crusade is fake. They can get a few teenagers to go along with them though. They must be so proud.
Even-
They would have to steal OSX and then hackintosh their machines. I can only imagine it would be a reaal painful process.
with the amount of unemployed people or even hackers out there im sure someone will do it
This makes absolutely no sense. You realize that up until just a few months ago you could actually legally download Windows 7, right? Heck, you can technically still legally download Windows 7 from someplace such as MSDN. But that aside, I’m fairly confident I used those exact search terms trying to find the signup page for the Beta or RC at some point.
My guess is that Apple were targeting those people.
….. this is just sick, Apple has really stooped to a new low.
They’re trying to get money from people that wouldn’t be giving Microsoft money anyway. I don’t see an impetus for the moral outrage here.
So they want to target those who dont even want to spend $100 on a new OS and sell them a $1000 computer. Sounds like a winning strategy.
And Apple fanboiz wonder why Apple PC market share hovers around 5%. Nobody is going to buy a $1000 Macbook Pro instead of $150 upgrade to 7 UNLESS they have a 4 year old PC and are in the market for a new box. That’s what happened to me last year. I had to replace my 4+ year Dell Dimension 8400 and I got a Macbook Pro 13″ aluminum and Windows Vista Ultimate. So far a year later and it’s humming along nicely!
Wow idiot, Apple’s entire campaign has been focused on targeting users buying a new computer, not those looking to upgrade.
As for Biggs, perhaps you didn’t stop to consider that Apple may be trying to cash in on consumer misinformation as well. That is, users who’ve enjoyed streaming netflix, etc. etc. may believe you can now download the OS legally from M$ rather than having to go get a disc.
You’re right, Wiz. We buy Macs, realise what a poor choice OS X is compared to Windows, stick on Boot Camp and never look back.
Apple does not care about market share. Try to understand that. If they did they would make a mediocre OS on crappy hardware and sell it in Best Buy. But then they would be like Windows.
Keep telling yourself that.
They don’t care about market share, which is why they spend a billion dollars a year on advertising.
They don’t care about market share, which is why their entire ad campaign for years now has been about trying to get people to switch to Mac from PC.
They don’t care about market share, which is why they threatened to sue Microsoft over the Laptop Hunter ads.
They don’t care about market share, which is why they spend millions every year on free equipment loans, technical assistance, and promotional considerations on practically every show shot in Hollywood.
They don’t care about market share, which is why they are constantly trumpeting how successful the iPod has been.
They don’t care about market share, which is why they are always advertising how many of everything they have sold.
They Don’t care about market share, which is why they sell their products in Best Buy, Fry’s, Target and Wal-Mart.
Or they could just not be hitting the bid level needed to appear for those terms. Relatively speaking, downloading WIn 7 is a far less monetizable proposition, so it would mean lower keyword bids in Google. Factor in quality score considerations, and it’s possible they just didn’t win the auction.
Someone who downloads and installs an illicit copy of an operating system would have to be pretty tech-savvy. Why on earth would such a person want an OS designed by FisherPrice?
Probably someone that thinks Fisher Price is named FisherPrice :)
Well, it’s easier to hack/pirate Windows 7 than it is to pirate/hack OS X. I’ve tried it before (ahem).
Posted to my blog:
http://dailyrampager.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/apple-welcomes-windows-pirates-with-open-arms/
With Microsoft laying off yet another 800 emplyees, with Apples Market cap continuing its climb to match or beat Microsoft, its obvious that windows is on the way down.
Why pay a fortune for a new flavor of windows? OS X is cheap, you can buy a used macbook for $300 and the upgrade has the full install.
If your stuck with a PC, then boot 132 loader and Snow Leopard right onto a PC. Cheaper then even buying an anti virus program and it frees up a large part of your hard drive.
Install Virtualbox for free and you can also load in windoze, if you want to go that way.
Stuck having to upgrade your PC to run windows 7? Might as well get a mac that can run everything.
WOW is sure fortunate there are sites like this where Mac myths aren’t challenged and the utterly ignorant can remain so and have their ignorance reenforced by their fellow Microsoft Fanboz.
Hmmmm… just tried it and that didn’t happen. What up with that???
Apple has about a 10% market share in the US. I believe that makes Apple number 4 out of all computer makers. Not a bad place to be.
Win 7 is Microsoft’s best work to date but I still prefer Mac OS X Snow Leopard. I have Windows 7 installed on a partition on my Mac and it runs better on my Mac than on the Dells at work. Mac makes a quality machine. If you haven’t owned one then you aren’t in a position to comment. The screens are bright and clear, the body is made from one piece of aluminum and will out last any PC notebook. It has the best trackpad by far with multitouch capabilities that are to die for. Once you get used to a Mac trackpad, it’s hard to go back to a Dell. It will run Mac OS X, Linux, Unix, Windows and more. Therefore more Apps run on the Mac than on a PC. Plain and simple, if you want top quality and value choice, a Mac is the way to go. If you are the type of person that recognizes that a Mercedes cost more than a Saturn but that it also gives you a better experience and will last longer than you will appreciate Mac. If you feel that a Chevy Cobalt is good enough for you than maybe you don’t need a Mac.