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From: SHBOUM@MACALSTR.EDU
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: Apple II and Macintosh Sales (Was AE Rumors)
Message-ID: <9A8D7DF7A020F033@MACALSTR.EDU>
Date: 4 Apr 91 06:15:00 GMT
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Organization: The Internet
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In a previous article, Randy Hyde writes:

>> Concidering that there are 7 million Apple II's out there and only 2 million
>> macs, I don't think it would be too hard.

> I would like to see references for these numbers.  While I suspect Apple
> may have sold more Apple II systems than Macs (in total volume only), I'm
> pretty sure the Mac numbers are *much* higher than this.  Also, seven
> million Apple IIs seems kinda high.  They didn't hit one million units until
> around 1983 if memory serves me right.  Although the Apple IIgs has been
> the big (unit) sales leader for many Christmases since 1985, I suspect the
> Mac has been outselling (on a yearly basis) the last couple of years.
> Now that the Classic is out, I suspect you'll find that it becomes the
> big sales leader (they were  predicting a million of those alone, this year).
> I don't know how many Macs and Apple IIs have been sold.  But I suspect
> Apple has sold me than 2 million Macs since 1984.  I'd like to see where

        I've been following Apple II / Mac sales for about 3-4 years now,
although I do not yet know any solid numbers for this decade. Anyways.
Currently there are both over 6 million Macs and 6 million Apple II's. With the
volume of Macs being sold, I do not doubt that this should reach 7 million soon
{although Apple did a really brilliant move with the $250 million dollar
backlog on Mac's right now - 4 months for a Classic!}. However, Macs did not
always sell well and only about 20 months ago did Mac sales finally pass Apple
II sales. However its not really the II's fault when the position that Apple
has taken with the market the past 4 years is that its the ONLY computer that
it makes that you should buy. So when you open the Wall Street Journal, USA
Today, Mac Weekly, all you see is Macintosh. Not even a small word about its II
line. So no wonder why sales have dropped, no one knows about the II anymore.

	Despite this awesome advertising scheme that Apple did for the II line,
the IIGS has sold very well. Randy is right that it was the sales leader for
Chirstmases. Take the Christmas '88 where it sold 33,000 units to the home
market compared to only 13,000 for the Mac SE and onther 6,000 for the Mac
Plus. In fact, from 1986-1989 the IIGS accounted for over 20% of total UNIT
sales at Apple Co. But rather than seeing that they had something going here,
they guzzeled more money into the Mac, and made a big deal when it finally
passed Apple II sales. Well lets look at the current score. 6 million Apple
II's, 7 million macs, 70 million IBM/clones. Well guys, look who really won.

| Hal Bouma				| Send mail to: SHBoum@Macalstr.edu
| Macalester College			| and 		SHBoum@Macalstr.Bitnet
| GEnie: H.Bouma			| ".Sig Under Construction..."