According to CRN, Apple has changed the wording on its website to remove age-old claims about Macs being safer than Windows PCs. It’s right there in the “Why You’ll Love a Mac” section of the Apple website.
2012 MacBook Pro not only page updated on Apple website this week
Apple has for years relied heavily on the idea that Mac users are safer from viruses than PC users, and this notion has permeated its marketing. Apple used to claim: “A Mac isn’t susceptible to the thousands of viruses plaguing Windows-based computers. That’s thanks to built-in defences in Mac OS X that keep you safe, without any work on your part.”
Sometime over the last few days, though, Apple has changed this wording to: “Built-in defences in OS X keep you safe from unknowingly downloading malicious software on your Mac.” Apple has also changed the description of OS X from “It doesn’t get PC viruses” to “It’s built to be safe”. This happens to tie in with the recent release of the 2012 MacBook Pro models although it may or may not be a coincidence.
This removal of the Windows comparisons may foretell a change in Apple’s security marketing methods. Apple’s genius “Get a Mac” campaign touted the better security of Macs over Windows PCs. Researchers have said that Macs aren’t actually that much more secure, but many users sleep soundly at night under this assumption.
This change could be coming in the wake of the first Mac botnet, which emerged in April. This botnet found a chink in Java, and Apple was rather slow to repair it. This could well have prompted the company to rethink its claims.
Nevertheless, whether you buy the new 2012 MacBook Pro Retina or a Windows laptop, having an anti-virus program is a must.
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