There is more to Apple than meets the eye...

Recently, Apple announced the availability of a software which will allow users to run Windows XP on the Intel-based iMacs. This has been described by many as a move by Apple towards the mainstream, because the company was acknowledging that it could not beat Microsoft in the OS game and was preparing to throw down the towel.

Well, lets take a careful look at the recent events in OS history... Microsoft released Windows XP in 2001 and since that has been working on the its next version: Windows Vista. In that period Apple has release 3 major updates to its OS X operating system and is expected to ship a forth before Microsoft is able to ship Vista. Most new, user-visible, features of the Windows Vista OS are in one way or another follow ups to original (or at least released first) ideas from Apple's OS X.

Now, along comes Apple, a company that last year saw its computer sales grow more than twice the growth of market leader Dell, and announces that its very cool computers will be able to run Windows, if you install it. The computers will still come from the factory with the OS X installed and you will able to run your copy of Windows XP on it.

Well, now everybody who was ever afraid to buy an Apple computer for fear of being incompatible, need fear no more. At the same time all who have wanted to try out Apple's famous and powerful operating system can do so, while at the same time getting the fanciest, coolest Windows computers in the market: Apple's.

So, now you can buy that incredible looking iMac for your home, knowing that it will run Windows. While you are at it, you might just become curious to see why all those Mac fans always talked about their OS and decide to look around. Seeing all those interesting, powerful an extremely cool tools that come bundled in Apple's computers you might just decide to delay installing your Windows or to dual boot the computer so that you can have the time to finish looking everything over.

Once you've decided that its worth a second look, you will start to compare the OS X with Windows, the current one and the next one. You might notice that all those much commented on features of Windows Vista are available right away in your very own computer, and that you do not need to wait for its release before using them.

In this scenario, I see Apple's Mac sales taking a steep turn upwards as more and more people will decide to try out a cool Apple computer and if nothing else, stick to having the cooled Windows box in the block. As more and more people buy Apple, no matter which operating system the computers are running, the company will have made the point that its products are the best available. The coolest most creative and while not the cheapest, certainly a great product for the prices.

At that point what will come next? After making the point that Apple can sell the hardware without depending on the software, will Apple demonstrate that it can sell the software regardless of the hardware?