An employee of Apple Mac, Jef Raskin envisaged an economical and easy-to-use computer for a layperson. The personal computers that were launched by Macintosh initially used images instead of text to correspond. Mac gradually became a brand name and it designed and developed personal computers which were being marketed by Apple Inc. In 1984 Apple Mac were the first to come up with a computer that featured a mouse as well as a graphical user interface.



In the 1990's when Microsoft acquired monopoly over personal computers. Apple consolidated its hold over consumer-level desktop and succeeded in revitalizing its name. The main objective of Apple Mac is to manufacture systems which are meant to be used at home, by educational institutions and by professionals.

Mac hardware is specially produced by Apple; it also chooses the designs, the internal system and also its price. The current Mac is capable of managing different operating systems like its other counterpart. of Microsoft Windows, FreeBSD and Linux, the former is supposed to be Mac's main competitor.

In the past special events were held to inaugurate Mac desktop, notebook computers like the iMac and electronic devices like Apple TV, iPhone and iPod. Apple today focuses more on advertising strategies during special events and important conferences such as the Apple Expo and Mac World Expo, since such occasions attract huge gathering of spectators and media delegates.

Apple Mac has always has its share of ups and downs and it has struggled to get its foothold especially in the personal computer market. In 1984-85 lack of obtainable software resulting in unsatisfactory sales. It took approximately two and a half months to sell 50,000 units.

Apple computers enjoy a longer life compare to PC's of the same era because they make arrangements for their own software and newer model favored more than the older ones. Mac has managed to survive in the cut-throat competition of Personal Computers.

Surveys have indicated that the majority of Apple's customers are more affluent than those using other mainstream Personal Computers. Affluence indicates more artistic, more literate, qualified people and this probably explains why Apple is more visible among certain affluent youth. Steve Jobs reckons that maybe appr.45 pct of Apple's customers belong to the Republican ideology-this assessment may not be totally correct-many famous Democrats like Rush Limbaugh are using Mac products-but this perception gets strengthened by the Company's policies of donating money to political parties, by the fact that Al Gore is on its Board, and of course, by Steve Jobs history.

Since the entry of Mac, apple has endeavored to obtain a prominent share of the PC market. Initially, the Mac 128K suffered from a huge amount of software available as compared to IBM's Persona Computer, which resulted in poor sales in the period 1984-85.

By the year, 1997, more than 20 million people were using the Mac, as compared to approximately 340 million users of Windows. From the second half of the year 2003, figures indicate that Apple Company had approximately two percent of the PC market share in the U.S and this had increased to nearly 3 percent by the end of 2004.By October 2006, IDC and Garner had found that Apple's market share in the United States of America had gone up to about six percent. By the end of December 2006, Apple?share had gone up to six percent, with at least 30,000 computers being sold in the one year 2005-2006.It is a little difficult to assess correctly the number of Macs currently installed ?estimates range from three to sixteen percent.

There are three common ways of assessing market share:

1. By the number of Browser hits 2.By the actual sales of the product. 3. The installed base.

If one uses the browser method, then we can determine that the Apple market share has increased substantially in the year 2007; however, when we consider the market share measured as a percentage of actual sales this differs significantly when we take into account the installed base. Macintosh computers are more long lasting than Personal Computers of the same age, since Macintosh provides their own in house developed software and newer versions which enable modern software to work more efficiently say for e.g., O.S. 8.1 enables for faster copy speeds .

People often debate whether the actual market share of Mac users and of the installed base is really relevant. Experts have often pointed out to the relatively smaller share of Mac users and have said that because of this it is only a matter of time that Mac finally has to close shop, particularly around the year 1995 when things really looked bleak for Apple. Apple has portrayed the Mac has an expensive, technologically more superior Personal Computer and hence it may not be fair to compare this with a cheaper less efficient Personal Computer.