iPad & MacBooks combine to give Apple 27% share of all mobile PC shipments

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014


The combined total of iPad and MacBook shipments in the fourth quarter of 2011 gave Apple a whopping 26.6 percent share of the mobile PC market, nearly tripling the share held by second-place HP.



Apple's market dominance was revealed on Thursday by NPD DisplaySearch, which tracks mobile PC shipments. They found that Apple shipped 18.7 million iPads, representing nearly 80 percent of the company's mobile PC shipments during the holiday quarter.



When Apple's record iPad sales were combined with its best-ever MacBook sales, Apple achieved shipments of 23.4 million units, good for a 26.6 percent share. That was well ahead of HP's 9.9 percent share from 8.7 million units.



Coming in third was Dell, which shipped 6.9 million mobile PCs and took a 7.9 percent share. Acer was in fourth with 6.8 million shipped for 7.7 percent, while Lenovo was fifth, shipping 6.3 million units for 7.2 percent.



With iPad and portable Mac sales combined, Apple shipped 62.8 million mobile PCs in 2011, DisplaySearch said in its "Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast Report." That's up 132 percent year over year, led mostly by the iPad, with 48.4 million total units shipped in calendar 2011.



"Mobile PC brands read the writing on the wall in the fourth quarter," said Richard Shim, senior analyst with NPD DisplaySearch. "Consumer demand for notebooks was expected to be weak following modest back-to-school results, especially with the expected launch of Windows 8 on the horizon, and increasing interest in tablet PCs. As a result, brands focused their typical holiday price cuts on tablets to boost demand."











Apple commanded 59.1 percent of all tablet shipments in the quarter, well ahead of the 16.7 percent share Amazon took in second place with its Kindle Fire. DisplaySearch tracking found that Amazon shipped 5.3 million units in the quarter, more than doubling the 2.1 million tablets shipped by Samsung.



While Apple dominated in tablets, its MacBook lineup came in fifth place among notebook PC shipments with 4.6 million units shipped and an 8.3 percent share. In first place was HP, which shipped 8.7 million laptops and took 15.5 percent of the market.



In second was Dell, which shipped 6.7 million laptops for 11.8 percent, followed closely by Acer with 6.6 million portable PCs, and Lenovo, with 6.1 million.



[ View article on AppleInsider ]

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 110
    wigginwiggin Posts: 2,265member
    I'm still not convinced that the iPad is a "PC", but rather a post-PC device. Still, Apple's market share of mobile computing devices is impressive.
  • Reply 2 of 110
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wiggin View Post


    I'm still not convinced that the iPad is a "PC", but rather a post-PC device. Still, Apple's market share of mobile computing devices is impressive.



    The iPad is a mobile PC as much as many other computing devices that qualify as laptops. It may not have all the bells and whistles of a top of the range MBP, but neither do most low end laptops.



  • Reply 3 of 110
    I would like to see the breakdown of portable PC sales by price. Which brands are selling more in each price range? Do HP and Dell only have good sales in the low end market? Which percentage of their sales is for items below $300 or above $400? Which company is leading in each price segment? I suppose they don't publish that data.
  • Reply 4 of 110
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    This would explain why whenever I travel I see a massive predominance of glowing Apple Logos in hotels, airports and restaurants. I am guessing the majority of the other 70 something % are at home, plugged in and chugging through updates to virus databases or on a shelf unused.
  • Reply 5 of 110
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wiggin View Post


    I'm still not convinced that the iPad is a "PC", but rather a post-PC device. Still, Apple's market share of mobile computing devices is impressive.



    Please see the original article:

    http://www.displaysearch.com/cps/rde..._full_year.asp



    They did a pretty good job of breaking out tablets vs laptops.



    The tablet info is interesting. Apple 18.7 M, Amazon 5.3 M, Samsung 2.1 M. It would be interesting to know how they counted Amazon's products. The number appears to be too large for just Fire shipments, but too low for all Kindle products.
  • Reply 6 of 110
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wiggin View Post


    I'm still not convinced that the iPad is a "PC", but rather a post-PC device. Still, Apple's market share of mobile computing devices is impressive.



    Is it a computer? Yes.



    Is it a personal computing device? Yes.



    Think of it as PC 2.0.
  • Reply 7 of 110
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wiggin View Post


    I'm still not convinced that the iPad is a "PC", but rather a post-PC device. Still, Apple's market share of mobile computing devices is impressive.



    Prior to iOS 5, the iPad was not a PC. Now that it can be set up and used as a standalone device without having to involve another computer at any point, I think it's legitimate to classify it as a PC.
  • Reply 8 of 110
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wiggin View Post


    I'm still not convinced that the iPad is a "PC", but rather a post-PC device. Still, Apple's market share of mobile computing devices is impressive.



    There many ways to look at it. This reminds me when someone asked me if the Bahamas were part of the Caribbean and I didn't know what answer would be best.



    As already stated they are computers and they are personal. We also count all other tablets that are running a desktop version of Windows as "PCs' so the exclusion seems to be from the OS. We're also seeing the iPad (not other tablets) stealing "PC" marketshare.



    Personally I think it should be separate if they think it should be separate. I also don't think that the Kindle Fire should be counted because it's really just an eReader that was given some multimedia HW and SW support and missing a lot of the aspects that would me a "PC" replacement.



    IF Windows 8 can make any headway on tablets perhaps we'll see a change in how the tablet market is recorded. Are they going to split the Win8 OS sales between device types or just lump them together.
  • Reply 9 of 110
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. H View Post


    Prior to iOS 5, the iPad was not a PC. Now that it can be set up and used as a standalone device without having to involve another computer at any point, I think it's legitimate to classify it as a PC.



    That was certainly the leading argument as to why it's not a PC or a replacement for a PC, but since the iOS 5 betas first came out nearly a year ago the goal posts have moved.
  • Reply 10 of 110
    I have to join the conversation whether or not and ipad is a "PC". As an owner of the Ipad 2, I say it is not a "PC". If you can add a mouse to the Ipad and M$ office with close to full functions. I will classify the Ipad more like a device for low to mid range computing. Being an engineering major, the ipad will do little of what i need it to do as far as programs. That said, it is great for when i don't need the engineering specific programs.

    But until i can have a mouse ( cause it's not efficient in my mind to constantly be touching the screen) then i will see my Ipad as a step below a PC. Especially since some websites still use flash.
  • Reply 11 of 110
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    I remember reading that when the mouse and GUI first appeared most people considered them toys because a real computer needs a command line interface. How long before people realize that history repeats itself?



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Seankill View Post


    I have to join the conversation whether or not and ipad is a "PC". As an owner of the Ipad 2, I say it is not a "PC". If you can add a mouse to the Ipad and M$ office with close to full functions. I will classify the Ipad more like a device for low to mid range computing. Being an engineering major, the ipad will do little of what i need it to do as far as programs. That said, it is great for when i don't need the engineering specific programs.

    But until i can have a mouse ( cause it's not efficient in my mind to constantly be touching the screen) then i will see my Ipad as a step below a PC. Especially since some websites still use flash.



    That's a ridiculous argument.
  • Reply 12 of 110
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jragosta View Post


    Please see the original article:

    http://www.displaysearch.com/cps/rde..._full_year.asp



    They did a pretty good job of breaking out tablets vs laptops.



    The tablet info is interesting. Apple 18.7 M, Amazon 5.3 M, Samsung 2.1 M. It would be interesting to know how they counted Amazon's products. The number appears to be too large for just Fire shipments, but too low for all Kindle products.



    I also find it interesting that they noted that Apple numbers include inventories and at the same time they don't note that other tablet numbers are estimates
  • Reply 13 of 110
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Smallwheels View Post


    I would like to see the breakdown of portable PC sales by price. Which brands are selling more in each price range? Do HP and Dell only have good sales in the low end market? Which percentage of their sales is for items below $300 or above $400? Which company is leading in each price segment? I suppose they don't publish that data.



    I'd be more interested to see a chart showing PERSONAL computer purchases separated out from corporate or educational purchases. It would be telling, I bet, to see the numbers when the individual gets to make the call on which computer they will buy rather than an IT dept making that decision for them.
  • Reply 14 of 110
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Seankill View Post


    But until i can have a mouse ( cause it's not efficient in my mind to constantly be touching the screen)?







    Quote:

    Especially since some websites still use flash.



  • Reply 15 of 110
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Seankill View Post


    I have to join the conversation whether or not and ipad is a "PC". As an owner of the Ipad 2, I say it is not a "PC". If you can add a mouse to the Ipad and M$ office with close to full functions. I will classify the Ipad more like a device for low to mid range computing. Being an engineering major, the ipad will do little of what i need it to do as far as programs. That said, it is great for when i don't need the engineering specific programs.

    But until i can have a mouse ( cause it's not efficient in my mind to constantly be touching the screen) then i will see my Ipad as a step below a PC. Especially since some websites still use flash.



    But I have a brand new netbook with Win 7 installed. It does Flash, can have a mouse attached but I would classify it as a device for very low range computing. It grinds to a halt with running Flash, I would not even try running any type of graphics program on it and running office apps is just so frustrating its not worth the bother.



    How functional a device is depends entirely on what your needs are so as a criteria it is useless. Will an iPad become a PC if it fulfills all my needs? A large percentage of people that work in offices use PC's but have needs that could arguably be fulfilled with iPads.



    I think that there probably needs to be many ways of counting and in each instance the reasons for the criteria need to be stated. In other words there will never be one definitive way of counting market share - some times a computing device is a PC and other times it is not.
  • Reply 16 of 110
    Apple smashed the opposition.



    If they 'iPhone' the iPad's price points with iPad 2 down sizing it's price relative to the iPad 3 it will really give the squeeze.



    Amazon only have traction under the iPad.



    A lower priced iPad 2 and an iPad mini later will suck the oxygen out of the market.



    The writing IS on the wall for HP/Dell etc.



    Between laptops and iPads that's an astonishing % of mobile computing. Quite the turnaround from 1997.



    With new airs, macbooks and iPads...it's a world of hurt for the opposition this year.



    I'll be buying the iPad 3 for starters...



    Lemon Bon Bon.
  • Reply 17 of 110
    I predict that in 1 year if the iPad 3 has a HiDPI display at the same price points that Apple will be pushing 50% unit share for the PC market when including the iPad.
  • Reply 18 of 110
    On 'Morning Joe' this morning, someone asked the half dozen people sitting at the table, 'When is the last time anyone here bought a PC, or anyone in your family for that matter?'



    There was a collective shrugging of shoulders, and a lot of mentioning of Apple products, all mobile.
  • Reply 19 of 110
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SockRolid View Post


    Is it a computer? Yes.



    Is it a personal computing device? Yes.



    Think of it as PC 2.0.



    Yes it is a computer but so is the electronic fuel injection module on my car. My criteria for a personal computer is the ability to write a program on that computer that can be executed on the same machine and be saved to a user accessible file system.



    Not to take anything away from the practicality of an iPad. It is a fantastic personal computing device but it is not a real PC in my opinion.



    Also if an iPad can be a PC why not make the iPhone a PC. Does screen size have anything to do with being a PC or not?
  • Reply 20 of 110
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


    Yes it is a computer but so is the electronic fuel injection module on my car.



    You missed the personal part.



    Quote:

    My criteria for a personal computer is the ability to write a program on that computer that can be executed on the same machine and be saved to a user accessible file system.



    Not to take anything away from the practicality of an iPad. It is a fantastic personal computing device but it is not a real PC in my opinion.



    And how many people want to do that? Do you really think a criteria that applies to 1% of computer users should dictate in what category a device should be?
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