An Apple store in China.
A new Morgan Stanley survey (via AppleInsider) found that Apple is the most desirable brand of computer in China right now, beating out local heavyweight Lenovo. China became the biggest buyer of personal computers as of August, according to IDC, so that’s great news for Apple.
The Morgan Stanley survey of over 1,500 respondents spread across 16 Chinese cities found that Apple was picked as the brand of choice for people’s next computer purchase 21 percent of the time. That compares to just five percent who currently own an Apple computer. Lenovo still remains the top choice for consumers’ next purchase, but it dropped from 31 to 23 percent. If just laptops are taken alone, Apple exceeds Lenovo as the next purchase of choice, with 22 percent of respondents choosing Cupertino’s products over Lenovo’s at 21 percent.
Aside from being high on consumer t0-buy lists, Apple also ranked as the most desirable PC brand according to the survey. It achieved a weighted score of 66 percent, with Asus in second at a very close 65 percent.
The main barrier to Apple computers for most respondents was price; only 7 percent of survey respondents said that they’d be willing to spend north of $ 1,000 for a computer, which is where the bulk of Apple’s line lies. Luckily, the trend is changing; of those planning to buy a new computer, half plan to do so within two years and expect to spend 6 percent more than the roughly $ 700 average price currently paid. If Apple can lower or keep prices the same as Chinese customers grow more affluent and continue to expect to pay more, eventually cost won’t be nearly the barrier it is today.
The iPad is also walking away with the tablet market in China, just as it is elsewhere. 68 percent of respondents plan it as their next tablet purchase, while 65 percent of tablet owners currently have one. The iPhone is also poised to do very well, with 40 percent of respondents saying it’ll be their next device, more than four and a half times the number of current iPhone users as polled.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said that China was now Apple’s second-largest market, and judging by these numbers, it won’t be too long before it climbs to the top spot.
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