C Hudson
Thanks, but I think your data is a bit flawed as OS penetration is not an accurate indication of hardware sold.
Check here:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/263444/sales-of-apple-mac-computers-since-first-quarter-2006/
That's a chart based on hardware sold, not OS penetration.
Also of note, Windows penetration is now below 90 %, does that mean crisis for that camp too? I'm not too concerned :)
 
 

I can't view that link is there some where else that has the data?

C Hudson
Thanks, but I think your data is a bit flawed as OS penetration is not an accurate indication of hardware sold.
Check here:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/263444/sales-of-apple-mac-computers-since-first-quarter-2006/
That's a chart based on hardware sold, not OS penetration.
Also of note, Windows penetration is now below 90 %, does that mean crisis for that camp too? I'm not too concerned :)

 
What's getting lost is my original emphasis on desktop sales/interest among "creative" types. Sure, Apple is selling plenty of MacBook Pros to consumers, which is being lumped in with the statistics you're quoting above. Operating share usage stats are even more revealing, with Mac OS essentially flat (with arguably a slight overall decline) since 2012; it was rising every year before that.
 
But even with laptops in the mix, Apple's share of PC users has dropped to a five-year low and Macs were the biggest market share losers in 2016. Those are not the kind of stats that will make a company like Cakewalk feel all warm and fuzzy about breaking into the market. At least you'd want to break into a growing market.
 
Don't take my word about creative types questioning Apple's commitment to powerful machines, desktop or laptop, that meet our unique needs. Tim Cook had to reassure stockholders that Apple wasn't going to forget about computers for creators, and company representatives took the unusual (for Apple) tack of saying there would be great new desktops in 2018, but declined to give any details other than hinting that they were going to be "modular" and that Apple would be introducing a new display (although touch wasn't mentioned).
 
With all computers (desktop and laptop) making up around 10% or less of Apple's sales, it's no wonder the company would have priorities elsewhere...especially since the dominant operating system among all things microprocessor is neither Apple or Microsoft, but Android. If Apple wants to maintain its smartphone sales and keep iPads from declining any further, they have their work cut out for them.
 

As for switching, I agree, not much movement there, but to say the only users buying new systems are those upgrading and not new users is a stretch.

 
All stats I've seen indicate a flat market. Sure, there will always be new people coming in, but it's not even enough to offset the existing demographic that has either lost interest, died, quit the music business, or whatever.
 

The real issue is how to entice new users to opt for something other than $199 logic or full on Pro Tools rig. That's a real challenge.

 
New Mac users are mostly buying Logic. You can't beat $199 for a program that's guaranteed to run on the hardware made by the same company that makes the software. 
 
I don't have any particular axe to grind, I was Mac-only for 10 years and still lead a dual-platform life. But to me, computers are appliances. I don't care what logo is on a computer any more than I care whether a toaster is Sunbeam or GE (as long as it doesn't burn my toast). I have a relatively current MacBook Pro but an aging Mac desktop, and need to replace it since it has hit the Apple-imposed wall of how far I can update the operating system without buying new hardware. I've been wanting to buy a new Apple desktop but the R2D2 model doesn't do it for me, and I don't think I can wait until sometime in 2018 for something as yet unspecified. If I'm going to invest in a new computer, it will be another Windows machine to supplement the one I already have (which works just fine, but I like the idea of distributed video rendering and redundancy in my "studio A" and "studio B").
 

Interesting how the brain thinks in terms of value put, or market shares...Again, I think it is time to rethink reasoning for....Troubles in ...And why.
 
If it is constantly based on that term used....It will never be trouble free.
And who is putting it in terms of Market? world sales?
 
Why is this code in peoples heads to do....And yet, do you see mother or father charge children to be born?...feed?...cleaned and cared for ?....
 
Yet, the burden to do, is causing Poverty, and much stress, and or ruin of many Peoples...and families...
 
Do you think Judging the crimes born into this system, and carefree is freely for fun to put the poor into prison because they cannot afford to have , what was totally given to have as given...Yet is not, because of this thinking imposed by...X...So it is always a error, or trouble and or something to point at and say....There is the problem, and they go Kill, or underhandedly use methods hidden to gain control and put under same mindset as Rome....
 
This Code or method or moral ethic to civic duty to pay and pray....Just points out more so the reason tied is not the proper way to really have that Trust, that stability...that freedom of trust....You cannot be Trusted, nor do they Trust in this system.
 
 
And they say Look at the cost, look at this, look at that...And compare the same old same old constants to say Nah we cannot do.
 
 
Do you see what wall is before them saying it?.....Lies to many, and many say that lie is the way.....Nope!
 
 
I guess no matter how many times we go in circles, some will never admit where the error is...and yet they will never let it go, because that is all they see as being of reason to gain...be it wealth.
 
Many nations have tied to the method...many nations are now sick, suffering, and surely saying same...Poor too many of...And too many to serve....But it is not the money doing it?.....Well I know who said it is that very thing making all the sin and crime be born by....When destitution is oppression put to use!
 
And if no way to make the ends meet in that system....Prostitution is born of many!...sold as, and all lawful now?.
 
So, circles in that stay in that circle....You may gain some, and loose all in the end...and many have!
 
That is why...To show the proof, one must test the other side of zero....who's fault , and what causes the troubles, the jinn, the error, and the downfall of doing things because we can?.....And it is not me who said it, But I sure will repeat it........IDOLS.....Keep your selves from these things....For they do not give any answers, and support nothing without You and them and all put to shame, putting it first and foremost to get or have put or used to make anything....and if so done...accidentals collisions and worse....more lies to cover it up, the blood sought, said they are evil doers?...and yet look at those holding that thing more important still in their heads...saying what market shares make it impossible to make work, or try to...because not enough money is in hand?.....more lies eh?...yep!
 
That being said.....Is it being researched?....I just did!.
 
 
Cheers.
 
 

"Also of note, Windows penetration is now below 90 %, does that mean crisis for that camp too? I'm not too concerned :)"
 
 
lol %90 is a hell of a lot better than %3

Utterly meaningless.

Here is a lesson to learn of World under Dominion of democratic musings.
 
David Sazuki went into the rain forest...and spoke to a tribes men chief, about the western worlds incoming greedy spying out Land not theirs to take without asking, onto, into his lands blocked by walls put, and words said to not enter.
 
Those brought to speak for western world, said, Wealth is in your lands, and you can be rich, if you let us get it for you.
 
The chief said....Is it in our lands this wealth?.
The western invaders said, Yes.
 
The chief said, then leave it where it is, and go away , for if my land is rich, Then all upon it are also!
 
Did they listen to reason?....No, they still survey the lands, and take without permission, and now seek oil and other things out of the ground to dig up, and ruin the lungs of the Earth for pollution and or wealth!...not caring, never shared, and always fighting for....Now they seek to wipe out those tribes to get in without a fight....By way of war....Call them savages....Put them in a bad light...in the way of progress.....And many will say....It has been done before, and ...that is the way we do it....
 
 
Is it right to do?...and if done this way always as is history.......IS IT RIGHTEOUSNESS?.....If opposed by one or some....and it is not the land to take...But ask, if asking...and no is the reply.....Then?....That is the problem with lies and liars......You cannot Trust them to understand NO...or YES....As those terms do not matter, for they always do the opposite of whatever is said as truth!....if it be truth told.....They go the other way!
 
And that is one reason why some say they ware ties around their necks....easier to hang by!
 
Yet even they tighten it around the neck of themselves....Thinking how smart and snug it is doing it...until.
 
Crash!.
 

AndertonBut even with laptops in the mix, Apple's share of PC users has dropped to a five-year low and Macs were the biggest market share losers in 2016. Those are not the kind of stats that will make a company like Cakewalk feel all warm and fuzzy about breaking into the market. At least you'd want to break into a growing market.

Maybe. My though about this is, nobody knows exactly the counts of this or that. If a stakeholder loves Windows, OSX will loose and vice versa. In the world of creatives we do have BOTH worlds and the revenue kicks OSX away. Maybe. But this is NOT the point! I like your very professional approach, it's great. But we don't have a "Musical OS", we have an OS we have to work with and sometimes we must leave the DAW-Cocoon.
I'm not an Apple-Fanboy and I don't like the yearly "great update" of OSX, it's unprofessional I though, but in the last couple of month for me, Windows is a mess. It begins with dozens VST-Path and ends up with the deep knowledge how to pick up the interface. Again, it's a mess and it gave me no more benefits, no 1ms more latency but more "Sonar didn't response" than Cubase or Studio One. I've never do something "under the hood" while on OSX, it still works.

Bristol_Jonesey
I'm surprised he hasn't been banned because his posts NEVER contribute to the discussion at hand, it's just inane ramblings about, well, I don't really know what they're about.

I guess it is because no one can understand his posts and get upset by them.  I've tried to read a few of his posts but normally give up. 

Is the prototype abandonware (never liked that term), or is it going to still see fixes for issues uncovered up to that 1-year? I wouldn't mind using it, if I can get it running on my Mac.