Just 2 percent of Mac users intend to go the other way.
The survey was conducted by Verto Analytics and spotted by 9to5Mac. The company asked U.S. adult computer owners about their plans for their next machine. Respondents were asked to say whether they’ll be switching platforms in the next six-24 months.
The results of the survey demonstrate Apple’s popularity with its customers. 98 percent of current owners said they’ll be sticking with the company for their next purchase. They’ll be joined by 21 percent of current Windows laptop owners and 25 percent of Windows desktop owners who are likely to buy a Mac device in the next six months.
While only two percent of all Mac owners want to leave, Verto noted that income appears to be influencing many of the decisions. People with higher average incomes are more likely to switch to Mac, reflecting the higher entry costs of the ecosystem. Respondents who earn over $150,000 annually proved to be the most likely to switch.
Interestingly, those in the $30,000-$40,000 bracket are the least likely to move to a Mac. Despite earning less, people with incomes below $30,000 seem to aspire to Mac ownership. Respondents with an income less than $15,000 were the second most likely to buy a Mac, behind only the over $150,000 category.
Verto attributed this apparent anomaly to the impact of respondents in their teens and early twenties. It speculated that these low-income earners at colleges and universities often gravitate towards the Mac ecosystem. These purchases tend to be aided by parents or a student loan, explaining the discrepancy in the data.
“Lower income groups (those making $20,000 or less annually) also report higher probability of switching to Mac: about 14 percent of these respondents intended to switch,” explained Verto Analytics. “However, a further drilldown shows that these lower income respondents are also in their teens or twenties, suggesting parental assistance.”
Broadly, the survey implies that claims of the Mac losing its popularity may have been inflated. In recent months, wide reporting of the company’s diminishing influence with professional users has combined with an upsurge in interest around Windows devices.
In some instances, this has led to an impression that the Mac as a whole is gradually losing its reputation. Verto’s findings contradict this, suggesting Apple continues to find favour with a wide audience, including younger users. The company’s loss of reputation with professional users is still a major issue though – sales of high-end devices make more money and Apple doesn’t want to lose its premium image.
