Apple OS gaining ground on Windows

Apple's operating system is gaining ground on Microsoft Windows, with second-quarter results showing the company inching close to a 10 per cent market share in the US.

While Windows certainly still dominates the computer market, Apple's share continues to grow. Just released second-quarter market share figures from Gartner show Apple shipments up 38 per cent, to 8.5 per cent of all units shipped, up from 6.4 per cent a year ago. IDC had Apple's gains somewhat lower, at a 7.8 per cent share, up from 6.2 per cent a year earlier, but the trend is the same.

Apple photos - pick of crop

Check out the latest in Apple innovation…

♦  Photos: What should be crowned the king of Apple cool?

♦  Photos: Apple flying high at Macworld

♦  Photos: Apple's Jobs slims down laptop for Macworld 2008

♦  Photos: High life at the high-tech hotel

♦  Photos: Who's in the iPhone queue?

IDC analyst Loren Loverde said in a telephone interview: "They've got great products and they are executing well." She added: "They are benefiting from the excitement and press over their other products."

Microsoft is working on a multi-year, megamillion-dollar marketing push for Windows and, as the numbers show, it can't come soon enough. Apple's gains on Windows are particularly painful given that US computer shipments only grew 4.2 per cent, again according to Gartner.

Worldwide shipments fared better, up 16 per cent for the quarter, and of course Apple's worldwide share is far lower than its US one. Despite Apple's US gains, its worldwide market share was 3.3 per cent in the second quarter, according to IDC. That's down slightly from last quarter but up from 2.9 per cent a year ago.

Loverde said Apple would have to continue growing really fast for some time to move ahead of Toshiba and crack the top five in global sales.

Original article: Mac OS continues to gain share from CNET News.com