"Survey: Mac users more likely to buy music online"

from macworld.com - by Peter Cohen

The NPD Group's quarterly Digital Music Monitor reveals in its latest issue that Mac users are much more likely than PC users to pay to download music online. What's more, Mac users are more likely to buy CDs and are more likely to watch videos and listen to music on their computers and MP3 players.

Thirty-two percent of Mac users reported purchasing CDs in the third quarter of 2007, compared to 28 percent of PC users. Thirty-four percent of Mac users have uploaded music to MP3 players, while only 16 percent of PC users have. And 56 percent of Mac users have listened to music files on their computer, while only 31 percent of PC users have, according to NPD's data.

Russ Crupnick, vice president and entertainment industry analyst for The NPD Group, cites a "cultural divide" between Mac users and the rest of the computing world. "Mac users are not only more active in digital music, they are also more likely to buy CDs, which helps debunk the myth that digital music consumers stop buying music in CD format," said Crupnick in a statement.

Crupnick also noted Apple's growing consumer computer market share -- from 6 percent to 9 percent in unit-volume sales share from January to October, 2007, according to their figures. "Apple's growing share in the personal computing environment -- and continued success with iPod sales -- is a potential harbinger for the continued growth of digital music," said Crupnick.