Apple: Getting down to business?

During the past few years, Apple has become the tech world's media darling. And while Apple rumors and speculation run rampant throughout the year, at no time is excitement higher than just before CEO Steve Jobs delivers his keynote at the yearly MacWorld Expo, laying to rest months of rumors and outlining Apple's road-map for the coming year. This year, the anticipation for new products is more heated that it has ever been, with shameless Apple fanboys and girls buzzing about all sorts of consumer devices (see the "Geek News" section for a prime example). But could Apple have another ace up its sleeve this year? Is there an even bigger market that Apple might be eying?

It makes perfect sense if you think about it: Apple needs to move outside of selling iPods if it is to continue its explosive growth and what better market than the enterprise market? After all, Bill Gates and Michael Dell didn't get rich by selling PCs to consumers. Apple has long eyed the corporate space but to date, has failed to gain a foothold anywhere outside of educational and research institutions. But could this be the year that all changes? In an article for eWeek, David Morgenstern asserts that the time is right: Businesses are faced with choosing between either a Vista upgrade or a Windows alternative. And what better option than an Intel-based Mac that can also run Windows and Linux? Apple is expected to make a number of business-friendly announcements--from a new iWork suite replete with spreadsheet app to the latest iteration of OS X, Leopard--that could help sway IT department buying decisions. And third-party vendors plan to show off any number of new business solutions for the Mac, from ERP and CRM software to solutions for the data center.

Here's what I make of all this: the Mac has been and will continue to be an elegant and stable solution for many businesses. But Macs are still too expensive and third party support is still too patchy for most enterprises to jump on board. Apple is making a killing in the consumer products market with its new focus on selling many small devices, as opposed to a few big ones and I think we can expect to see them continue this strategy. I'd love, however, for Apple to prove me wrong.

For more on Macs in business:
- see this eWeek article