By Heather Caspi

October 2004

There is never a shortage of Mac® Myths under discussion among Mac users and non-users alike. Here we take a look at a few myths that range from current market share misinformation to some of the most mind-boggling old Mac Myths still popping up, somehow, in the year 2004.

1) Apple's market share is so small that they will be out of business within five years.
This argument has been going on for years. Although Apple's market share is undeniably small at less than five percent, not everyone realizes their stronghold on the marketplace is nonetheless impressive. As Steve Jobs' popular (and slightly belabored) analogy points out, their market share is comparable to BMW, which has a reputation for prestige rather than harbingers of doom.

There are certainly some holes in the luxury car analogy but the idea is solid. Apple makes premium technology with a loyal following. and they aren't going anywhere.

2) Microsoft owns Apple or a majority share in Apple.
This myth most likely originates from the highly-publicized purchase of $150 million in non-voting Apple shares that Microsoft made in 1997, in what many consider a public relations move. Sources say that at the same time, Microsoft privately paid Apple an undisclosed amount to settle a long-standing dispute about possible patent infringements.

It is important to note that the purchase, which many observers called "chump change", was for non-voting shares, so Microsoft did not gain any control over Apple.

3) Macs don't fail.
A California data recovery specialist says many of her Mac clients are truly shocked when their hard drives fail. When she tells them Apple doesn't actually make the hard drive, they don't realize that much of the primary hardware in a Mac is not made by Apple.

She says some people even feel a bit betrayed to learn they have been placing their trust not only in Apple, but in the various makers of the components. "With Mac users," she says, "their computer is their friend. When something goes wrong, they take it personally."

While Apple has earned its reputation for reliability, nothing is infallible, she warns.

4) The iPod is not made by Apple; it is made by Sony.
This myth possibly stems from a competing product sometimes referred to as "Sony's iPod," which was unveiled in May.

The "VAIO® Pocket" features a 20-gigabyte hard drive, a 2.2-inch color display, and will last about 20 hours compared to iPod's eight. However, "analysts say it has a long way to go before it challenges the industry dominance of Apple," according to a May Reuters article.

The product is larger than the iPod® and requires the owner to convert MP3 files into Sony's format. Sony has previously released other MP3 music players.