It can be difficult to find a Mac-friendly MSP.
Most providers of managed services are content with catering to the more prevalent market of Windows users, with no intention of expanding their offerings.
This is perfectly reasonable in many respects—most businesses use Windows and it’s likely to remain that way for years to come.
There is, however, a shift in other areas that is prompting a much higher demand for providers that can support Apple devices.
This shift is primarily driven by two factors—increased adoption of Macs as work computers by businesses; and the use of BYOD policies by employers in modern business that have encouraged employees to bring in their own Apple devices to work with.
Today we’re going to be taking a look at why you will need an MSP with Mac support sooner than you think.
Mac Usage in Business Is on the Up
Windows systems have long dominated the PC market worldwide.
In the United States, however, the story is a little different.
While the majority of operating systems are still running Windows, there is a substantial and growing increase in the use of Macs.
This is mostly driven by increased adoption of Mac computers—the market share for OS X has risen from 18.99% in February 2019 to 25.5% in February 2020.
Windows, meanwhile, has actually dropped its share in the same timeframe, albeit by a small amount—from 67.38% to 65.46%.
What does this mean?
Well, in essence, it means there’s more Macs in any given enterprise environment, and that’s showing no signs of slowing down.
Indications suggest that 75% of enterprise users would choose a Mac for their next computer if given the choice.
That’s a pretty high number, particularly considering many of these people are comfortable with Windows PCs and work with them every day.
We’re not saying that Apple computers are better by any means, but the signs all point towards increased usage, and the market trends reflect that.
If you’re going to end up with Apple devices in your work environment, then you should definitely consider partnering with an MSP who has the means to monitor Mac devices effectively.
Macs Are Not Bulletproof
There’s an old mode of thinking that Macs are impervious to cyberattacks.
This is nothing more than a myth.
Macs are less likely to be targeted, but that is more a question of economics than anything else.
Related Post: Advanced Cybersecurity: Why a Firewall Won’t Be Enough in 2020
PCs have a larger market share, and thus more people use them, which makes them an easier and more profitable target for cybercriminals.
There are several factors at play here
Firstly, there’s the rising use of Macs that we just talked about, meaning more targets than ever for attackers.
Secondly, there’s the huge increase in attacks that we’ve seen over the last few years, particularly among small and midsize businesses.
Nearly half of all attacks target SMBs, and that number has only grown in recent years.
When you couple this with the rise of cyberattacks in general, it’s only a matter of time until Macs begin feeling the brunt of cybercrime.
In fact, it’s already beginning to happen: cyberattacks on Macs doubled in 2019, with many criminals seeing its increased use as an incentive to target them.
An MSP That Looks Forward
Most managed service providers tend to offer support only for PCs because they follow where the consumer demand is.
This is not a bad thing in itself, but it’s important to recognize that trends are all pointing the same way in business, which is further adoption of Macs in the workplace.
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If you plan on introducing them into your organization, or already have done, it’s absolutely worth thinking about whether your provider or potential provider offers the support you will need.
Even if you have no plans on buying Macs for your employees, having a Mac-friendly MSP that is always looking forward in terms of its solution offerings is an indication that they are concerned about making sure they can offer you everything you might ever need.
Takeaways
- Enterprise Mac usage is significantly increasing in the US year-over-year
- Contrary to popular belief, they are not impenetrable devices—with cybercriminals increasingly targeting them
- Very few MSPs offer Mac support because the demand at present lacks behind regular PCs, but market trends indicate that this will change in the future
- Having an MSP partner that is proactive and forward-looking in its approach to solutions offerings is a good indication that they have your best interests in mind for the future
Impact Networking is one of the few MSPs that offers full Mac support to its clients. As an SMB ourselves, we’ve discovered first-hand what works best, and we pride ourselves in providing best-in-class solutions monitoring and support to our customers who use Macs.
Protecting and monitoring your network—and everything that operates within it—is crucial to ensuring your business functions as effectively as it possibly can. Take a look at our managed IT services to see if Impact is a good fit for your growing business!