IBM bought 150 thousand computers of Apple and told about their advantages over Windows devices

2019: IBM told about advantages of computers of Apple over Windows devices

At the Jamf Nation User Conference conference (on November 12-14, 2019) in the city of Minneapolis (the State of Minnesota, the USA) the Chief information officer of IBM Fletcher Previn told about advantages of macOS over Windows. According to him, computers of Apple do the staff of the company happier and more productive and also reduce routine of the personnel.

To the middle of November, 2019 of IBM bought more than 290 thousand devices, including 150 thousand computers (other equipment is iPhone and iPad).

The chief information officer of IBM Fletcher Previn told about advantages of macOS over Windows

According to Previn, working at the Mac-computers 22% more often exceed the work plan in IBM in comparison with users of Windows. The first conclude for 16% more large deals on sales and 17% less often leave the American corporation. Besides, only 5% of users of macOS in the company ask installation of the additional software against 11% of employees which constantly lack software in Windows.

The research also of IBM showed that users of macOS in the company have higher index of loyalty to the employer — 47.5 against 15 at the employees working at the computers running Windows.

One more advantage of the Apple operating system consists in decrease in resources on support. As the Chief information officer of IBM claims, on support of 200 thousand devices with macOS about 7 specialists whereas service of the same number of Windows systems requires about 20 people are necessary.

However several years earlier for support of devices of Apple larger support was required. According to the ComputerWorld edition when IBM in 2015 began to distribute 1900 computers of Apple a week, turned out that one worker of technical support is capable to service 5400 users while it was necessary to attract 22 persons to support of the same number of Windows devices.

When IBM began to distribute 1900 computers of Apple a week, it turned out that one worker of technical support is capable to service 5400 users while it was necessary to attract 22 persons to support of the same number of Windows devices

IBM also pays attention that it is simpler to users to pass from the old version of Windows to Mac, than to update Windows to more recent version OS. Process of migration on new of software was a lung for 98% of users of macOS (about 86% of respondents called simple transition from Windows 7 to Windows 10), reported in a research. Only 5% of users of computers of Apple ask for the help while at the others this indicator exceeds 40%.

The situation in IT is reflected every day that IBM thinks and feels in relation to the employees — Fletcher Previn says. — We aim to create production environment for the staff of IBM and to constantly improve their work therefore in 2015 we started the program allowing personnel to select independently the computer for itself.

First IBM was afraid that the equipment of Apple will be more expensive computers on Windows, however practice showed that it is necessary to spend for service of the last actually more — the difference makes about 186%. By estimates of IBM, for four-year life of computers the company can save up to $543 on each Mac set instead of Windows devices.

The CEO of Jamf (makes the software for deployment and product management of Apple in the organizations) Dean Hager says that Previn's statistics and results of implementation of macOS emphasize the general attractiveness of devices of Apple in the corporate sector. He noted that iPhone, iPad, and now and Mac become products for the companies.

Mac quickly grows in a corporate segment partly thanks to transition from Windows 7 to Windows 10. Why to install Windows 10 instead of Windows 7 if you can make something bigger that will influence your choice? — Hager said.[1]

2015: IBM is ready to buy to 200 thousand "Macintosh" a year

At the end of July, 2015 it became known that the staff of IBM gradually passes to computers of Apple within cooperation of the American companies in the market of corporate solutions.

The MacRumors portal published the video in which the Chief information officer of IBM Jeff Smith told about a meeting with the colleague from Apple Niall O'Connor where the issue of corporate purchases of Mac-devices was discussed.

"I wanted that Mac was received by each employee who can use it. For this purpose we had to find a method to reduce the total cost of these devices to the PC level or below. You could help me with it as you well know these devices, – Smith said, addressing O'Connor.

That answered that Apple will never be able to reduce the price of products, and added that the largest corporate client buys from corporation about 25 thousand MacBook notebooks a year. On what Jeff Smith told that IBM could purchase 150-200 thousand computers.

The chief information officer of IBM Jeff Smith told about how he agreed with Apple concerning purchases up to 200 thousand computers

Two weeks later after this conversation representatives of Apple arrived to office IBM for signing of the contract, the Chief information officer of "the blue giant" told, without having specified terms of either a meeting with Neil O'Connor, or agreement signature about large purchases.

For many years of the relation of IBM and Apple were exclusively competitive, but in 2014 the companies concluded the alliance within which they develop and advance software of the corporate level. Since then IT giant began to approach stronger, and in May, 2015 it became known of what the management of IBM permitted the subordinates to select for work between MacBook Pro/Air notebooks and the PC based on Windows or Linux.

Then it was noted that users of "Macintosh" are 15 thousand employees of IBM, and to the end of 2015 their number was going to increase to 50 thousand. Taking into account Jeff Smith's statement it is possible to assume safely that the corporation will be ahead of schedule.

Jeff Smith also reported that from 50% to 75% of the people working in IBM will be able to replace Lenovo ThinkPad with MacBook. As of the end of June, 2015 the staff of IBM totaled about 380 thousand people.^[2]

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