Macs For Over-55s, Not Generation iPod?


On Apple Records' penultimate Beatles' new release, Abbey Road, John Lennon said apocryphally that McCartney's songs were 'folk songs for grannies.' Fast forward to 2006 and it seems Apple (Computer's) Macs are for grannies. Or over-55s at least.

That's the story concerning Mac demographics c|net News is running. Citing a MetaFacts report, the story says that almost half Mac users are 55 or older, which is in sharp contrast with Apple's iPod demographic. The surprising factoid is that down-and-out Gateway is # 1 PC maker for the 18-25 age group.

On one hand it means brand loyalty; on the other, it means a greying Mac demographic - if it's true. We're not so sure. When you consider the strong Education position of Macs in schools - K12 and colleges - in the US (# 2), as well as Apple's resurgent position in the UK education market, you wonder about the stats. Sure, school Mac users may not own the box, but they sure as hell use them, and schools keep buying them.

Apple doubled its Mac shipments in the 4th quarter of 2005 and doubled them again in 2006. Its laptop sales have been particularly strong. No figures, but surely these aren't simply selling to long-term Mac loyalists. Apple is growing its sales, boosted by the iPod and its halo effect. If this weren't the case, Apple sales would be static, selling only to loyalists, its long-time core base. But that was the old Apple, and little of that is left.

As a sidenote, we're pretty sure most of us on the Mac web are still on the right side of 55 as well. And will be for quite a few more years. We can prove it - we didn't buy Abbey Road in 1969.