Apple snags 10 percent of U.S. retail notebook sales in March

[AppleInsider]

Apple Inc.'s line of MacBook and MacBook Pro notebooks combined for nearly 10 percent of all notebook sales at U.S.-based retail stores during the month of March, while sales of iMacs also helped the Mac maker rank amongst the top five desktop manufacturers for the first time this year, according to just-released data from NPD Group.

US retail notebook sales

For the month of March, Apple placed fourth on NPD's list of top selling retail notebook vendors with a 9.9 percent share, ahead of of Compaq's 8.5 percent share but behind Gateway's 13.0 percent share. Toshiba topped the list -- which omits manufacturers like Dell who only sell direct. -- by grabbing 26.2 percent of the market, followed by HP at 23.9 percent.

The 9.9 percent notebook share garnered by Apple is up from February, when it did not place in the top five, but down from January, when it registered a 10.1 percent share of U.S. retail notebook sales.

US retail desktop sales

Meanwhile, the Mac maker broke into NPD's list of top five U.S.-based retail desktop vendors for the first time this year, seizing a 7.7 percent unit share. The list, which does not include Dell, was topped by HP with an even 35 percent slice of the market. HP was followed by Compaq (16.7 percent), Gateway (16.6 percent), and Emachines (16.4 percent).

SanDisk chips away at iPod retail share

Over in the digital media player space, Apple in March saw continued erosion of its share of the retail segment at the hands of rival SanDisk. For the month, Apple held onto a 68.9 percent share, down from 72.3 percent in February and 72.7 percent in January. SanDisk appears to be the primary beneficiary of the iPod maker's lost share, with its slice of the retail media player market rising from 8.9 percent in January, to 9.7 percent in February, and 11.2 percent in March.

Rounding out the top five digital media player retail vendors for the month of March was Creative with a 3.6 percent share (up from 2.7 percent in February), Microsoft with a 2.5 percent share (no change), and Samsung with a 2.2 percent share (down from 2.5 percent in February).

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[SpamSandwich]

"Impressive... Most impressive" —Darth Vader

[samurai1999]

Way to go Apple!!


I reckon they could hit $100B by the time the iPhone launches!

[Atlas]

Awesome.

I though Apple's goal was only 3% of the entire market? Either way, 10% is killer!

[aaarrrgggh]

Surprising about the iPod market share, but great news on the Macs.

Any idea what percentage of all PCs are sold retail?

[bdj21ya]

Originally Posted by aaarrrgggh

Surprising about the iPod market share, but great news on the Macs.

Any idea what percentage of all PCs are sold retail?

It's not too surprising to me. In large part, Apple is cooling its heels on the iPod for a bit, working on really getting the technology right and maximizing profits (more players sold doesn't always equate to more profits, obviously). Meanwhile, other players, such as the line from sandisk have been adding more and more functionality.

The functions they've added are for the most part quite lame, especially in their implementation of the concepts, but they look impressive to consumers on paper. Personally, I feel that the iPod is still the best player for the money, but that has a lot more to do with ease of use and ease of getting the content I want onto the player. iTunes is what makes the iPod truly great.

[Kolchak]

Microsoft will be coming on strong "real Zune now."

Actually, it's no joking matter. Give them time and they might just create some viable competition. Their version 1.0 products are almost always a joke, but they just keep plugging away.

[EagerDragon]

ummm, this seems to only cover retail stores. Does not seem to cover the web stores.

Sounds great, but if you also cover all the web fronts the % is likely closer to 5%.

[Porchland]

SanDisk has less than 10 percent of the MP3 market and still has almost four times Zune's piddly market share. HI-larious!

[Corkurk]

This is completely anecdotal, but I feel like I'm seeing more and more Apple notebooks around. I was in my local Starbucks twice this week and only saw 1 non-Apple laptop in use. Each time there were 10-15 people sitting around surfing the web with their $4 lattes and either a MacBook or MBP. I didn't see any older models, only Intel, so make of that what you will. 2 or 3 years ago, I feel like I wasn't seeing nearly those numbers.

Again, totally unscientific, but it did catch my attention.

[donlphi]

I am seriously happy to see more market share in the LAPTOP world. Perhaps more software companies will take note and start making OS X versions of the good stuff (Paint Shop Pro or Intuit's Quicken - a real version).

It will also be interesting to see the DAP market change after the iPHONE comes out. I think once this device hits the market, Apple will start to upgrade the iPOD family. The video iPOD is due for an overhaul... BIG TIME.

I was just looking the reciept from when I bought my 60GB Video iPOD back in October of 2005. Look at all of the devices that have come out since then.

[Johnny Mozzarella]

When considering the dip in iPod sales it is important to keep in mind that...
1) this is only retail sales (online sales are not included)
2) the 5th Generation iPod was introduced in October of 2005

We should see a major redesign to bring the 6th Generation iPod in line with iPhone around October.

[shanmugam]

what will happen, when base model of Mac Book goes DVD Burner and sheds 100 bucks, more % of share!!!

It looks like Apple laptops are liked by more switchers than iMacs, IMHO.

[maxmann]

Originally Posted by Porchland

SanDisk has less than 10 percent of the MP3 market and still has almost four times Zune's piddly market share. HI-larious!

the rule of thumb in the CE business is that if a format reaches a 12% market share it is a turning point at which the format will likely do two things: #1. it will surive the life of the format category (have shelf space at retail). #2. it will, if managed properly, begin to make a profit in the format category for both the vendor and the retail channel.

[mgkwho]

Originally Posted by Corkurk

This is completely anecdotal, but I feel like I'm seeing more and more Apple notebooks around. I was in my local Starbucks twice this week and only saw 1 non-Apple laptop in use. Each time there were 10-15 people sitting around surfing the web with their $4 lattes and either a MacBook or MBP. I didn't see any older models, only Intel, so make of that what you will. 2 or 3 years ago, I feel like I wasn't seeing nearly those numbers.

Again, totally unscientific, but it did catch my attention.

It's the demographic. I would argue that 1/5 university students would have macs for 2007-2008 and 1/4 the next year.

-=|Mgkwho

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

which omits manufacturers like Dell who only sell direct

Does this also exclude Apple Store's direct sales? Either way, this makes the results little more than a rah-rah liturgy for Apple fans.

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

SanDisk chips away at iPod retail share

Of course they are. They are selling low cost digital players and undercut Apple's prices for a given capacity. This isn't news, it's common knowledge.

Originally Posted by Atlas

I though Apple's goal was only 3% of the entire market?

You're confusing OS marketshare to PC marketshare. This only measures a certain type of sale of a certain type of computer. Apple's OS marketshare and overall PC marketshare is well below 10%. Though I do have faith it will hit that in just a couple years. OS marketshare will increase faster if the iPhone and AppleTV can be included.

* I don't want to hear any BS that Macs aren't PCs. It's just a marketing tactic used by Apple to differentiate itself from the intitalism. BTW, Apple coined the term 'personal computer', from what I recall.

Originally Posted by Corkurk

This is completely anecdotal, but I feel like I'm seeing more and more Apple notebooks around.

I'm seeing more. I know many people who have 2 or more notebooks. A windows based one for work and a personal Mac for recreational use.

[aiolos]

I think the iPod share will go back up again after the new one released. I think it's just down now cause most people have the 4th or 5th generation, and most 4th-ers are probably waiting for the next one to come out.

[aiolos]

Originally Posted by mgkwho

It's the demographic. I would argue that 1/5 university students would have macs for 2007-2008 and 1/4 the next year.

-=|Mgkwho

I've definetely noticed a lot of macs on campus. I'm only a freshman, but I know that macs are def becoming more popular, I see em everywhere, and the PC users all have jealously in their eyes My friend down the hall is thinking of ditching his old Dell 8300 desktop for a MBP, but he may get an HP cause he likes nice graphics cards.

[JimDreamworx]

If Microsoft can lose another 6 billions dollars with Zune, the way they did with XBox, they just might move up to third place in the market.

[AISI]

Originally Posted by aaarrrgggh

Any idea what percentage of all PCs are sold retail?

Less than a quarter of all PCs sold in the U.S. About a third of all Macs sold in the U.S.

NPD Techworld figures, calendar Q3 2006:

• U.S. PC shipments, Q3 2006: 16.333 million
• U.S. retail PC shipments, Q3 2006: 3.539 million (only 21.6% of U.S. PC shipments)
• Worldwide Mac shipments, Q3 2006: 1.610 million
• U.S. Mac shipments, Q3 2006: 975,000 units
• U.S. retail Mac shipments, Q3 2006: 333,000 units (only 34% of U.S. Mac shipments)

Apple had 11 percent of U.S. retail notebook sales (248,000 units) and 6.6 percent of U.S. retail desktop sales (85,000 units).

The number of Mac distribution points is increasing, Macs will continue to sell well in retail, not only in the U.S.

Apple F2Q07 Earnings Call Transcript: "In terms of overall Mac point of sales, we've been working on this worldwide and the Mac point of sales have moved from 5,800 to 8,000 on a year-over-year basis."

[OldMacGuy]

My three very low volume blog and web pages show that OSX accounts for no less than 11 percent of the viewers and (on my more popular site that shows the NY Times crossword solutions) -- 21 percent. I noticed this trend starting around the beginning of the year, and can olny attribute it to the fact that more people are now switching because the can now "do office work at home." The main excuse is gone and people ARE moving.

[Avor]

Originally Posted by Corkurk

This is completely anecdotal, but I feel like I'm seeing more and more Apple notebooks around. I was in my local Starbucks twice this week and only saw 1 non-Apple laptop in use. Each time there were 10-15 people sitting around surfing the web with their $4 lattes and either a MacBook or MBP. I didn't see any older models, only Intel, so make of that what you will. 2 or 3 years ago, I feel like I wasn't seeing nearly those numbers.

Again, totally unscientific, but it did catch my attention.

I notice them being used on TV a lot as well (in commercials, shows etc) ... although the apple in the back is taped over or altered

I got my MBP in December and know of 3-4 people who are planning to get one within the next month. I'm not a leader, but people seeing that Macs are usable in the real world (unlike what many would try to make you believe) and Mac's ease of use definitely changes their outlook.

It's a domino effect - like iPods when they were introduced - and you can already tell that it's becoming the "big thing".

[murk]

Three high school seniors I know are all asking for MacBooks for graduation. All are from different schools and don't know each other. All have friends who are using Macs. Gotta love that high school peer pressure. This would have never happened a few years ago, no matter how much I pressured the parents. You really need to know the people involved to realize there is a big shift happening. The parents now are asking me for input.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by Atlas

Awesome.

I though Apple's goal was only 3% of the entire market? Either way, 10% is killer!

Maybe 3% was the worldwide figure. 10% is US retail only, and only notebooks.

Originally Posted by Avor

I notice them being used on TV a lot as well (in commercials, shows etc) ... although the apple in the back is taped over or altered

They like to use the design but definitely don't want it used as an endorsement for a product that's not being advertised.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by JeffDM

Maybe 3% was the worldwide figure. 10% is US retail only, and only notebooks.



They like to use the design but definitely don't want it used as an endorsement for a product that's not being advertised.

Though sometimes we do see them in commercials with the name or logo prominently displayed.

That's because there is product placement in commercials, as well as in tv shows and movies.

[melgross]

I'm concerned about Apple's desktop share. The fairly high laptop share pushes that desktop share down further.

That's why some of us think that Apple must radically re-think their desktop lines.

There is NO guarantee that laptops sales will continue to grow and desktop sales slow in the industry overall.

This could be a short lived phenomenon. We don't know.

If Apple managed to grow their desktop share as well, they could get to 10% overall in the US by the end of 2008.

[admactanium]

Originally Posted by Avor

I notice them being used on TV a lot as well (in commercials, shows etc) ... although the apple in the back is taped over or altered

this has always been the case. the people who work in media and advertising use macs, so whenever a computer is needed and it's not important which brand it is, it's a mac. many times it's just the computer of someone who happens to be on set. macs have always been popular in the media and graphic arts.

[wilco]

Originally Posted by mgkwho

It's the demographic. I would argue that 1/5 university students would have macs for 2007-2008 and 1/4 the next year.

-=|Mgkwho

Based on what? A dream you had?

[Mooch]

I'm confused. Why are HP and Compaq listed separately? I didn't know HP made any Compaq branded products any more. And the www.compaq.com redirects to http://h18002.www1.hp.com, which has a grand total of...2 products on it.

[k squared]

Originally Posted by aiolos

I think the iPod share will go back up again after the new one released. I think it's just down now cause most people have the 4th or 5th generation, and most 4th-ers are probably waiting for the next one to come out.

I would agree. After seeing the iPhone and Multi-Touch, I wouldn't even think about getting an iPod until updated versions are released.

[BenRoethig]

Originally Posted by Mooch

I'm confused. Why are HP and Compaq listed separately? I didn't know HP made any Compaq branded products any more. And the www.compaq.com redirects to http://h18002.www1.hp.com, which has a grand total of...2 products on it.

They still do. Compaq does still sell low end retail offerings, but they are more business oriented.

[addabox]

Originally Posted by melgross

I'm concerned about Apple's desktop share. The fairly high laptop share pushes that desktop share down further.

That's why some of us think that Apple must radically re-think their desktop lines.

There is NO guarantee that laptops sales will continue to grow and desktop sales slow in the industry overall.

This could be a short lived phenomenon. We don't know.

If Apple managed to grow their desktop share as well, they could get to 10% overall in the US by the end of 2008.

Well, I can only imagine that notebooks are getting more popular because a) they are portable, and b) they are now powerful enough to most things that most people want to do without penalty, and c) they keep getting cheaper.

So that I can now buy a sub thousand dollar notebook that does everything I want it to do really fast with a nice big bright screen that I can take with me when I go places.

I can't see where any of that stops being true, and I can't see where any of that becomes less desirable. In fact, my guess is that more and more people will think of notebooks as being "computers", portability being part of the definition of "computer", and desktops will start to look like the mainframes of yore, big heavy things that people used because they had to.

[BenRoethig]

Originally Posted by addabox

Well, I can only imagine that notebooks are getting more popular because a) they are portable, and b) they are now powerful enough to most things that most people want to do without penalty, and c) they keep getting cheaper.
.

D) More in line with what they expect in that market.

[Corkurk]

Originally Posted by addabox

Well, I can only imagine that notebooks are getting more popular because a) they are portable, and b) they are now powerful enough to most things that most people want to do without penalty, and c) they keep getting cheaper.

So that I can now buy a sub thousand dollar notebook that does everything I want it to do really fast with a nice big bright screen that I can take with me when I go places.

I can't see where any of that stops being true, and I can't see where any of that becomes less desirable. In fact, my guess is that more and more people will think of notebooks as being "computers", portability being part of the definition of "computer", and desktops will start to look like the mainframes of yore, big heavy things that people used because they had to.

I totally agree with this. There will always be that segment that for whatever reason (be it actual necessity, or just bragging rights) that will want the fastest and most powerful machine they can get regardless of form factor. However, more and more people (and businesses) can get by just fine with what current portables are able to provide. 90% of the people in my office could do their word processing, excel worksheets and e-mail on any number of available portables. And we're not talking the top of the line either - a $1000 MacBook would suit most of these guys just fine.

I think that the desktop segment as a whole is one it's way out. There will always be a niche for it, but as the technology gets better, the list of reasons that necessitated the "desktop" form factor to begin with will just get shorter and shorter.

[BenRoethig]

Originally Posted by Atlas

Awesome.

I though Apple's goal was only 3% of the entire market? Either way, 10% is killer!

It only counts fixed configurations sold at retail stores. internet retailers and machines ordered BTO from the online apple store are not counted.

[lfe2211]

Originally Posted by addabox

Well, I can only imagine that notebooks are getting more popular because a) they are portable, and b) they are now powerful enough to most things that most people want to do without penalty, and c) they keep getting cheaper.

So that I can now buy a sub thousand dollar notebook that does everything I want it to do really fast with a nice big bright screen that I can take with me when I go places.

I can't see where any of that stops being true, and I can't see where any of that becomes less desirable. In fact, my guess is that more and more people will think of notebooks as being "computers", portability being part of the definition of "computer", and desktops will start to look like the mainframes of yore, big heavy things that people used because they had to.

Let me add a few things to what you and others have said about the movement to laptops. I have been a long time laptop user, both Mac and XP. I also do a lot of business travel which means lots of time on plains, trains and ferries. Also, lots of time spent in airports, train stations and hotels. When I first started using laptops for business travel, battery life was very important due to the lack of readily available AC plugs. This is no longer true. Because of the ubiquity of AC plugs on many modes of transportation and in airport and train terminals, I no longer have to worry much about a dead battery. Very Nice. Furthermore, another big change is the availability of free or relatively cheap broadband access (BA). Many hotels, trains and ferries now have free BA. Many cities have or are developing free BA wifi networks. These 2 changes have had a dramatic effect on my road travel habits and ease of computing away from home.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by melgross

I'm concerned about Apple's desktop share. The fairly high laptop share pushes that desktop share down further.

That's why some of us think that Apple must radically re-think their desktop lines.

There is NO guarantee that laptops sales will continue to grow and desktop sales slow in the industry overall.

This could be a short lived phenomenon. We don't know.

If Apple managed to grow their desktop share as well, they could get to 10% overall in the US by the end of 2008.

I can see that (and I agree), but I haven't seen anything but a general trend towards mobile computers that hasn't backed off or slowed down. Notebooks used to be cost prohibitive, too slow or too poor of a screen, now, they are good enough for most people. Now my parents have an old cast-off notebook that's good enough for idle browsing that's not really used much in any mobile sense, but it's small and unobtrusive. I don't see them going back unless it breaks and money is terrifically tight.

[cubbie5150]

I helped these numbers--purchased my very first Mac (a MBP) in early march......

[melgross]

Originally Posted by JeffDM

I can see that (and I agree), but I haven't seen anything but a general trend towards mobile computers that hasn't backed off or slowed down. Notebooks used to be cost prohibitive, too slow or too poor of a screen, now, they are good enough for most people. Now my parents have an old cast-off notebook that's good enough for idle browsing that's not really used much in any mobile sense, but it's small and unobtrusive. I don't see them going back unless it breaks and money is terrifically tight.

Of course, I see the trend as well, but no trend continues forever.

It's difficult to predict the future for more than a couple of years, and even that gets wishy.

When Apple's numbers kept going down, it was easy to predict that after a certain time, they would be out of business, and many did, but it didn't happen. The trend reversed itself because of unforeseen circumstances.

Even so, there were about 100 million desktops sold last year. There is no reason why Apple shouldn't get a much larger share of that segment.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by melgross

Of course, I see the trend as well, but no trend continues forever.

Some do. Unless you mean to suggest that something like VHS is going to make a comeback.

It's difficult to predict the future for more than a couple of years, and even that gets wishy.

When Apple's numbers kept going down, it was easy to predict that after a certain time, they would be out of business, and many did, but it didn't happen. The trend reversed itself because of unforeseen circumstances.

Even so, there were about 100 million desktops sold last year. There is no reason why Apple shouldn't get a much larger share of that segment.

That's true, but they seem to be very good at creatively "interpreting" what buyers were asking for, it seems like they are trying hard to avoid the idea. Instead of a cheap tower which is probably what most requests for a headless Mac was about, they decide to answer that with the Cube and mini. I think both were interesting products, but not necessarily what was being requested.