Mac taking over enterprise space, PCs taking over recycling bins

Apple continually gets slack for focusing more and more on consumer markets, but the numbers are showing something else entirely: Mac sales in the enterprise market are up 44 percent last quarter. That percentage may only represent 5.2 percent of overall market share in the enterprise, but it’s also the most market share Apple has owned in the workplace in 15 years.

But what does that mean? Hell if we know. Apple cancelled all their server options, the Mac Pro seems to be destined for a long, drawn-out death, which leaves the iMac, Mac mini, and entire MacBook lineup. Wait, could that be it? Could consumers, the market Apple continuously caters to, be dictating what happens in the enterprise? It looks like this may be the case.

We’re not the only ones drawing those conclusions. From AppleInsider:

Shipments to the business market were an impressive nine times the market pace: 43.8 percent versus 4.8 percent. Wolf suggested that the past six quarters of strong Mac shipment growth in the business market reflect the beginning of a trend for Apple. [Charlie Wolf] attributes the upward swing to halo effects from the iPad and iPhone, both of which saw quick adoption in the enterprise.

People want to use what they’re familiar with, and increasingly, more now than ever in the past, that focus falls directly on Apple. People are heading to their IT departments and requesting technologies they’re familiar with. These employees usually don’t get their way with their IT professionals, especially in larger companies, but their opinions are being heard loud and clear. If I’m the head of an IT department, I’m listening. More importantly, all things being equal, I’m looking to give my employees the tools they’ll be the most productive using. If I have the budget, and the tools to do that, I’m making that switch as soon as possible.

5.2 percent of a market isn’t exactly something to write home about right now, but you have to break 5 percent before you can break 10 percent. The change we’re seeing today could be the start of something big.

Joshua is the Content Marketing Manager at BuySellAds. He’s also the founder of Macgasm.net. And since all that doesn’t quite give him enough content to wrangle, he’s also a technology journalist in his spare time, with bylines at PCWorld, Macworld and TechHive.