Apple winning the 'back to school' deal race?

By | July 7, 2011, 7:53am PDT

Summary: 80% of college students want a Mac over a PC for their studies, according to research — even though the Microsoft deal is seemingly better.

Each and every year, Microsoft and Apple go head to head in the ‘back to school’ race; trying to entice in students from across the United States and further afield through their virtual doors, to buy their technology.

But this year, according to research, Apple is winning — all but hands down.


(Image via Flickr)

In a nutshell:

Microsoft is offering a free Xbox 360 (4GB model) when students spend over $699 on a new Windows 7 PC.

Apple on the other hand is giving students a $100 store credit that can be used in any of its application stores, like the Mac App Store and iTunes.

But students are opting for the Mac over the Windows 7 PC; oddly enough, when the Xbox is far more expensive.

It isn’t about cost, though. We saw around this time last year that more students are opting for MacBooks over any other laptop on the market — overtaking Dell, HP and Toshiba in their portable computer offerings.

One shouldn’t detract away from the fact that not only are MacBooks idolised by the Generation Y as “the laptop of choice”, through sheer branding and social status factor alone — they’re also, ironically, too expensive for the masses who want one most.

While 80% of college students prefer a Mac over a PC, this statistic doesn’t surprise me at all. Whether 80% of college students will be able to afford a Mac over a PC, that is another question altogether.

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Topics

Zack Whittaker, a criminologist who studied at the University of Kent, Canterbury, is a journalist, writer and broadcaster.

Disclosure

Zack Whittaker

I worked briefly with Microsoft UK in 2006 but no longer have any connection with the company. Regardless, I remain impartial and unbiased in my views.

I don't hold any stock or shares, investments or industrial secrets in any company, but have signed confidentiality agreements with a number of UK and U.S. organisations, whose names I am not at liberty to disclose.

I was involved with Kent Union, the University of Kent's student union, undertaking voluntary, non-salaried, elected positions between early 2009 and mid-2010.

No other company, body, government department, non-governmental organisation or third sector organisation employs me or pays me a salary in any capacity whatsoever.

As a freelance journalist, whenever expenses are given and taken by a company that is not CBS Interactive, these will be disclosed in each relevant post to ensure transparency.

I currently work with a UK law enforcement unit, but this is an entirely separate position which bears no connection to other work.

(Updated: 23rd October 2011)

Biography

Zack Whittaker

Zack Whittaker, criminologist who studied at the University of Kent, UK, is a journalist, writer and broadcaster.

After studying criminology at university, though still in his early-20's, he has already had a series unconventional work and voluntary positions. He has worked with researchers studying neurological illnesses like Tourette's syndrome (which he suffers from), has given lectures on the nature of disabilities in the public community, and occasionally ends up speaking on television and radio discussing the events of the day.

He first had academic work published at the age of 22, then still an undergraduate, and has been cited by a wide range of publications: from the Huffington Post, Business Insider, AllThingsDigital, The Atlantic Wire and CBS News.

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RE: Apple winning the 'back to school' deal race?
baconman84 21st Feb
@brian ansorge Most MAC people can't admit that there are actually good PC's on the market for less than a Mac. And when you read comments like "fashion accessory", "Percpetion" and "cool looking" how can you really argue with such brilliance. For me, I work, and I need what works for me, call it preference, call it what you want, but please try something better than "you're old", if that's the case, "you're ignorant". irvine plumbing | plumber riverside
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Contributr
What would you prefer?
zwhittaker Updated - 7th Jul
Mac or PC for your college studies? But crucially -- why? Have your say.
@zwhittaker I believe that in 2012 with Win8, Windows Phone and Xbox 360 Metro UI this will change.
One live tile based UI to rule them all. In contrast apple will have a boring grid of icons with a launcher dock across iphone/ipad/OSX!!!
@jatbains
iMO, I don't think it will change much...
It seems that the product doesn't really matter - IMO, Windows 7 is better than OSX, yet people still want the Mac because of the branding (and because Macs are high-end machines, whilst PCs cover a whole span, and are not regarded in that manner).
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Keep dreaming
GoPower 12th Jul
How's that Zune working out for you? Doh!
@jatbains
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pamnichols
gavinwray1 28th Dec
Some students find it difficult to come up with impressive and insightful essays when they are being told to submit one in class. http://www.essayaboutmyself.com/

The noblewomen of Ancient China during the Ming Dynasty wore very long artificial nails to indicate their nobility and it serves as a proof too that they did not have to do manual labor like a commoner. http://www.fakenails.ca/

Living in a society such as ours today, no living being can make business or any transaction work without engaging with a telecommunication service provider. http://www.familyplan.ca/
Please cut the generation Y thing, there is nothing like that. What is the credibility of the 'research' you mentioned. They may have made it up to prop apple stock.
@owlnet
True but keep in mind the XBOX's been out for years... we all have one already, do we really need a second one?? now a Macbook Air would be N I C E!!
@Hasam1991 That's what I thought - all the kids probably already have one, so the deal isn't particularly enticing (although I'm pretty impressed :o)
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@owlnet

Yeah, that's it ... "to prop up apple [sic] stock."

It sure needs propplng, right? wink
@brian ansorge Most MAC people can't admit that there are actually good PC's on the market for less than a Mac. And when you read comments like "fashion accessory", "Percpetion" and "cool looking" how can you really argue with such brilliance. For me, I work, and I need what works for me, call it preference, call it what you want, but please try something better than "you're old", if that's the case, "you're ignorant". irvine plumbing | plumber riverside
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My daughter
rbethell 7th Jul
who once disdained Macs proudly shows hers off, now that she's headed to university. Other computers are computers... Macbooks double as a fashion accessory. (A rather expensive one.)
@rbethell: ... competitors. When compared to more fairly equipped notebooks (with metal unibody enclosure, et cetera it is not easy), Macbooks are not expensive.
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You must have a fan/groupie or whatever
ego.sum.stig@... 8th Jul
Your posts seem to be getting systematically flagged.
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RE: Apple winning the 'back to school' deal race?
Those who hunt Trolls Updated - 7th Jul
@rbethell
My younger cousin got one for college/music too and it's funny how image and trends really shape younger culture. Granted that I'm 9 years older that him, but perception is always a big factor. That's why Mac's are so popular because they are good at controlling a positive perception.

I, for one, just never felt compelled to get one. Mac just never did what I wanted to do. I thought about one as a secondary PC but it always just ended up with what I wanted to do and Apple never gave me a good enough reason why they would be a better alternative to Windows and Linux.
@Silverback1138
Dude you are old lol, that's the true reason they won't appeal to you... old people like windows.
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@Hasam1991

Dude, I am older, but I'm not that old. I just got out of my twenties. And the reason I like Windows and Linux is not because of my age, but I like function along form. I've used Mac's and while they are nice, like I said, they don't serve my needs. Your response has no credibility besides making it look like "old people" don't like the trendy Apple products. Something can give a "cool" perception but without fulfilling the part of the needed functionality, there's no point to it.
@Silverback1138 you forgot to mention youngin's like @hasam1991 (is that your birthdate? oh you're soooo young) arrogant. Most MAC people can't admit that there are actually good PC's on the market for less than a Mac. And when you read comments like "fashion accessory", "Percpetion" and "cool looking" how can you really argue with such brilliance. For me, I work, and I need what works for me, call it preference, call it what you want, but please try something better than "you're old", if that's the case, "you're ignorant".
@prttony91

With Windows, it has always been price trumps quality. With Macs, it has always been quality trumps price.
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@Silverback1138
tnx for ur , thinks!

software development
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@rbethell

And an incredibly functional, user-friendly, reliable and stable "accessory," no? Maybe (just maybe) those things contribute to them being so, so ... uh ... *desirable?*

Nah. Couldn't be.
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@brian ansorge
I think it's their lack of specific functionality that makes them less desirable to some of us.

I know I'm beating a dead horse but Apple maintains a very controlled perception of their products. I'm not saying they are bad products, but I feel they are overrated. There's also a good number of their userbase that delusionally make them to be absolutely perfect.
@brian ansorge
I'm not quite agreeing with this part:
"incredibly functional, user-friendly, reliable and stable"
as I think Windows suits that statement better than OSX (for the majority of those words). A breif rebuttal:
Functional: More programs for PC than for a Mac.
User-friendly: Macs just feel clumsy and are actually quite hard to use, IMO. (maybe just for PC programmers/users? - whilst this isn't neccesarily an OS thing) Try changing the default font size in your email client, or just moving the mouse (Macs doesn't have simple things like enhanced cursor precision in Windows, which you only really notice how much it helps you until you try the Mac).
Reliable: (Whilst i have no doubt a mac is reliable, the programs I have used which come witth the Mac have not. The apple way of reliability is when programs crash, just make them go away without any notification... make the user blame themselves (maybe I accidentally hit close or sth.).
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@rbethell But other computers also have different effects on people depending on what you're using the computer for.

For example, if I was to show up with anything but a Mac to, say, a graphical artists convention, or a meeting focused on photography, I'd look like an idiot.

But the same thing is true in other places. If I showed up with one of those underpowered, flashy computers to an engineering or business meeting I'd look like the guy who doesn't know how to spend money wisely.

The thing is, is that power users tend to fit into the latter category: they will, for 2000 dollars, get the most powerful, most functional laptop computer available.
The Mac doesn't fit that bill by a long shot- I could push, say, a ThinkPad W520 to the limits (120 GB SATA 3 SSD, 16 GB RAM, i7-2920XM, Quadro 2000, GPS, and the rest) for that price.

So I won't buy fashion- because function shows form.
I don't know where those college students are, but it's certainly not in Arkansas. I'll see maybe one art student with a Macbook every once in a while. Everybody else is using Windows PCs...usually those cheap as hell HPs.
@Aerowind
It's not what they have, it's what they want or wish they had...
@Hasam1991 I believe in getting Value for your Money! Right now the ipad is probably the best tablet. Apple TV sucks! The laptops are overpriced! The iphone has been outclassed by the horde of new phones! My wife like my Windows phone over her iphone!
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@Aerowind

Computers, I can understand, even in Arkansas. But, sersiously, how many "students" in Arkansas (even in "college") can read?
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*seriously, not "sersiously"
UrNotPayingAttention 7th Jul
@brian ansorge

It is ironic that you criticize a State's reading level, yet you yourself can't construct a correct sentence.
I have a niece and a nephew, both headed off to college, one buying a Mac, and one buying a Windows machine.. Both were strongly encouraged to do so by the colleges for their respective degrees. When I asked them what they would prefer, they both said the opposite of what they were purchasing.

Point being, depending on the situation, the choice may not be entirely their own.
Not that I am an old fart but my luxuries for college included a dilapidated car my dad purchased for $600, a dorm sized fridge $159, a hand me down color monitor (from an old commodore 64) and a used VCR. Total spent under $1000, and I graduated from college debt free! The loans today make it far too easy for students and parents to make rash purchasing decisions like buy a new laptop (much less a NEW Mac) to write school papers on.

OK maybe I am an old fart wink
@oncall
Times have changed... of course you did have macs back when we had VCR's...
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Of course they have
oncall 7th Jul
@Hasam1991

My point being: you don't need a new Mac/PC (take your pick) to go to college. The reason students/parents do it is because they have access to easy credit which they will have the privilege of paying back over the next umpteen years, with interest. Those easy student loans are UNFORGIVABLE by bankruptcy. About 50% of students won't finish college and of those who drop out they cite "financial pressures" as the #1 reason for dropping out.
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Apple simply learned from MS. You don't really need the best stuff, just the best marketing campaign.

The sheeple will line up.
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@timspublic1@...

Agreed with that. Not to say that Apple products are bad, I just think they're not as good as they are made out to be. They are just marketed very, very well.
@Silverback1138 I agree Marketing works!! Anyone for a Bose stereo System!!
@jatbains Or maybe you would prefer Monster Cables!
@timspublic1@?
And yet you line up for the newest Microsoft product all the time? There is an old saying that applies to you, Pot, Kettle, Black.
@timspublic1@...
But the Quality of Apple is good... I still have a 5 year old iPod and it works perfectly still holds a 2 hour charge...
@Hasam1991 I have 2 4GB Zunes that are 4+ years old and still going strong. My Windows Phone (Trophy) is rocking the Mango build!!
@Hasam1991

And my Windows 7 laptops, home PC's and Zunes will out work and play your Apple crap any day of the week, plus I can get my music and software from just about anywhere on the planet not just where Apple says I can....
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@omdguy and jatbains

Agreed. My 4 yr old Zune holds at least 3-4x his 2 hour battery charge. I like choice and functionality over the perception of a "perfect" product. That's the reason I switched from my iPhone to my HTC Surround. I probably would've gone with an android too.
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"I still have a 5 year old iPod...
UrNotPayingAttention 7th Jul
@Hasam1991

and it works perfectly still holds a 2 hour charge"

You call holding a 2 hour charge working perfectly? Did it only hold a 2 hour charge when it was new? Unless the answer is yes, then it is not working perfectly. (even if the answer is yes, it was never working perfectly if it only held a 2 hour charge)
@timspublic1@... I agree
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Odd then
ego.sum.stig@... 8th Jul
It may be just me, but hasn't Microsoft been accused of being "just a marketing machine" and not much to write home about in quality/utility of product?
Value for the money. It is the same argument that is used to justify buying a Honda Accord over a Ford Fucus. The Fucus is cheaper, but in the long run it will cost you more.
@Rick_K

That's right, and since when you buy Apple crap, you overpay for the same hardware that other PC's makers sell and you perceive you are getting better quality or value. It's called a Reality Distortion Field that Apple has all of you sheep roped into.

I can buy a faster, more productive and less expesnive Windows 7 machine that will blow away any comparable Apple system and I will still have several hundred more dollars in my pocket, so you keep telling yourself that Apple is better and the rest of the world will continue to get a better computing experience for our dollars.
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Oh?
UrNotPayingAttention 7th Jul
@Rick_K

So, now you're telling us that Honda Accords don't require routine maintenance that every other car requires?

Or, how exactly will a Ford Focus cost more over the long run?

Or were you just talking out of our @ss? Trying to defend spending more on an over-priced Apple product?

thought so.
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It's what their friends have. They want to fit in. Of course then they find out their favorite games aren't available. Lacking their favorite apps. Possible trouble finding the right driver for that printer that worked perfectly on a Windows based computer.

$100 store credit means nothing. That $100 will cost Apple under $70 since for a 989 cent app, Apple keeps 30 cents. If you buy a spare cable for $30, trust me, it costs Apple peanuts.

Compare with a higher priced Xbox. Microsoft doesn't get much of a cut [if any] for games bought for it.
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BTW, Only Macs Run EVERY OS
jbelkin 7th Jul
Only Macs run EVERY OS so if you want to run only one OS or all at once, only the Macs can do that.
Apple is winning because computers have become an integral extension of one's own self - tools critical for augmenting (not replacing) one's interaction with the world. They are no longer anything special - not a status symbol, or a fashion statement. They have faded into the background. They are upgraded when they become obsolete, and it is no event. Go from a four year old Dell to a brand new Air, and no one will bat an eyelid.

Computers are also no longer all that meaningfully different in performance. Apart from a very narrow group of people wanting to prove "mine is bigger than yours" through the technology they own, no one cares about spec lists. Think of the phone attached to your landline in the 1980s or your VCR in the 1990s.

There is only one thing that Apple does far, far better than any of its competitors. It removes hassle. No more, no less. But it removes hassle at every stage of the process (from buying, to using, to maintaining) and in every detail (down to font rendering). Of course, when a tool becomes central to your daily activities, a minimal amount of hassle required to deal with it becomes the ONLY relevant metric. Over the past two years I have had about ten of my friends switch from PCs. They pretty much all switched after borrowing someone else's Mac for an hour or two. You don't understand a Mac until you use it - it's anti-fashion.

This is why Apple in general is so popular with the the younger generation - interacting with information is something you have to do all the time now, so you want it to be hassle free.

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