Will 'Leopard' change spotty Mac sales?
Apple released the new operating system "Leopard" today, which allows easy switches between Windows and Mac applications. Alisa Roth reports this may encourage sales of Macs, which make up only 10 percent of computer purchases.
Steve Jobs discusses Apple's "Leopard" system at a Web conference in San Francisco. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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Scott Jagow: It's been a good week for Apple. The company turned in a stellar profit report. And today, Apple releases its new operating system. Code name: "Leopard." It's getting great reviews so far. Here's Alisa Roth.
Alisa Roth: Leopard comes with around 300 new tricks, some more useful than others. A Danish spellchecker might fit into that less-useful category, while the most exciting change falls into the other one.
Bill Fearnley, Jr. is an analyst that follows the computer hardware industry. He says this is the first time you can use any Windows program on your Macintosh.
Bill Fearnley, Jr.: You can install Windows on your Macintosh. You can install that application on your Macintosh, and you can switch between Windows and you can switch over to Macintosh.
That's key, he says, because it'll make it easier for customers to switch between home and work computers.
Fearnley: It's making more people, or encouraging more people, to consider the Macintosh.
That's important, because despite its record earnings and a cult-like following among users, Macs make up less than 10 percent of computer purchases.
Fearnley: But will Macintoshes rule the world? They probably won't.
He says that's because Macintosh's computers are simply too expensive for many consumers and businesses.
In New York, I'm Alisa Roth for Marketplace.
