Survey: Nearly 25 Percent of Windows Users Plan to Switch to Mac

Nearly a quarter of users who currently own Windows-based PCs plan to switch to a Mac with their next computer purchase, according to a survey of U.S. computer owners by Verto Analytics and shared by 9to5Mac.

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The survey, performed according to Verto’s “Smart Poll” method, was conducted in the first half of 2017 and asked U.S. computer owners 18-years and older if they planned to buy an Apple Mac (either laptop or desktop) in the next 6 to 24 months. Mac owners responding to the survey were also asked about their intention to switch to a Windows-based PC during the same timeframe.

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The results were quite skewed in a direction that won’t surprise Apple fans. Nearly 21 percent of current Windows laptop owners, and 25 percent of Windows desktop owners, stated that they intend to switch to the Mac. The Mac owners were far less eager to abandon ship, with less than 2 percent indicating a switch to Windows in the near future.

The income level of respondents also played a role in their intentions, with those making $150,000 or more annually the most likely to switch from Windows to the Mac, and those in the middle at $30,000 to $40,000 the least likely. The report notes that the relatively higher intention to switch among those making less than $20,000 a year (a situation in which a Mac would account for 5-10 percent of the individual’s yearly income) is explained by age, as many of the respondents in this income bracket were young and still likely in school or otherwise receiving financial assistance from family members.

The Decline of the PC

So perhaps all of those “Switch” ads are still paying off for Apple, but one aspect that Verto’s report doesn’t mention is the number of computer owners — both Mac and Windows — who won’t be buying a computer at all when their current system is ready to be replaced.

It’s no secret that the PC industry is declining, primarily due to the increase in capabilities and relatively lower cost of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Apple co-founder and late CEO Steve Jobs recognized this shift early on, and its full impact has yet to be felt. Therefore, another interesting question that should be posed to the survey’s respondents is their intention to switch away from the PC altogether and, if so, to which brand or platform (i.e., to iOS or Android).

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