But the biggest changes came in June, when Apple overhauled its entire laptop line at the Worldwide Developer Conference. Apple kicked off the year by giving its 17-inch MacBook Pro model the same unibody enclosure that the rest of the MacBook Pro line got in October 2008. What’s driving those sales? Apple’s steady stream of updates to its laptop line. Laptops remain a crucial part of Apple’s success, with the MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air offerings all seeing changes this year. In the fiscal fourth quarter alone, Apple sold 2.3 million laptops, accounting for 74 percent of the Macs sold during that quarter.
Apple sold more than 7.2 million portable computer during its 2009 fiscal year that ended in October that’s 69 percent of all the Macs sold during the year. Since 2007, laptops have grabbed the largest share of Apple’s sales-a trend that continued in 2009. It was a remarkable change for a computer that began the year as the forgotten model in Apple’s lineup only to wind up as an exciting option for business users. The company also introduced a well-received mini configuration designed specifically to act as a server. Then, in October, Apple updated the Mac mini again, this time adding faster processors and doubling memory capacity.
Given up for dead by many Mac users, the mini saw its first update in a year-and-a-half in March, adding new processors, improved graphics, and different ports. And Apple shows every indication of continuing that momentum into the new year.Įvery desktop and laptop in Apple’s product line underwent an update in 2009-with perhaps the updates to the Mac mini being the most surprising of all. The past 12 months have seen Apple revamp its hardware offerings as well as the operating system that runs on them, with many of those changes helping fuel strong sales and profits at a time when other tech companies are scrounging for loose change among the couch cushions. ( Dropping the word “Computer” from your company’s name helps foster that impression.) Not in 2009-while both the iPhone and iPod had their moments in the past year, the Mac enjoyed plenty of time in the spotlight. In recent years, it might have seemed that Apple took its eye off the Mac platform in favor of newer, shinier baubles like the iPod and (especially) the iPhone. And while I’m sure the folks at Apple headquarters may be sympathetic to all the 2009-related ennui out there, it’s also safe to say that the company may be a little sad to leave 2009 behind. You can understand why most people will be happy to see 2009 exit stage left. Newspaper articles featuring Jon and/or Kate Gosselin.