Apple passes Acer to become third largest U.S. PC vendor

[AppleInsider]

Macs garnered an 8.5 percent share of the U.S. PC market during the second quarter of the year, pushing Apple past Acer in the national rankings and into third place overall, according to preliminary data released Wednesday by market research firm Gartner.

Gartner's estimates

The Cupertino-based company saw Mac sales rise more than 38 percent to nearly 1.4 million units in the US during the three-month period ending June, making it the country's third largest PC manufacturer behind Dell and HP, who saw sales rise 11.9 percent and 5.6 percent to 5.25 million and 4.167 million units, respectively.

Overall, Apple's share of the US PC market was up more than 2 percent compared to the same period last year. Total US PC shipments reached 16.5 million units in the second quarter of 2008, a 4.2 percent increase from the same period last year.

"Dell continued to be the market leader with PC shipments accounting for 31.9 percent of the U.S. market in the second quarter of 2008," said Mika Kitagawa, principal analyst for Gartner's Client Computing Markets group. "Apple's PC shipments grew 38.1 percent in the quarter. The home PC segment continued to be the strongest driver for Apple, as well as sales into the education segment."

Apple edged out Acer, who saw sales decline more than 20 percent, by a little over 65,000 units. Meanwhile, Toshiba saw its own PC sales rise just 2.8 percent to 907,000 units, good enough for a 5.5 percent share and fifth place.

Preliminary U.S. PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 2Q08 (Thousands of Units) | Source: Gartner

Overall, global PC shipments reached 71.9 million units in the second quarter of 2008, a 16 percent increase year-over-year. Apple, however, did not place within the top five manufacturers worldwide, meaning its global share of the market remains behind the 4.4 percent achieved by fifth place holder Toshiba, which sold a total of 3.14 million units in the second quarter.

"Mobile PCs continued to lead unit growth across all regions as the average selling price (ASP) of mobile PCs declined sharply relative to desk-based PC ASPs," Kitagawa said. "Economic uncertainties have hit PC revenues, resulting in steep ASP declines, especially in markets such as the United States and the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region."

Preliminary Worldwide PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 2Q08 (Thousands of Units) | Source: Gartner

Holding on to its No.1 worldwide ranking was HP, which shipped just over 13 million systems, representing 17.1 percent growth and a 18.1 percent share. Dell followed with sales of more than 11.2 million systems for a 15.6 percent global share, representing 21.9 percent yearly growth. Acer (9.4 percent share), Lenovo (7.8 percent share), and Toshiba (4.4 percent share) rounded out the top five.

IDC's estimates

Slightly more cautious than its research rival, IDC said Wednesday in its own second-quarter study that Apple has finally broken through a symbolic barrier and will likely wind up tied for the third spot among U.S. computer vendors.

The Mac maker is said in the IDC prediction to have shipped just short of 1.33 million computers between April and June, which would give it the same 7.8 percent estimated American market share as Taiwan-based Acer.

Apple's surge signals a year-over-year growth in sheer units of about 31.7 percent, continuing a relatively rapid sales acceleration that began roughly during the company's switch to Intel processors.

Acer technically grew faster at 49.9 percent but was primarily helped by its merger with Gateway in the past year; if the combined share of the two is measured from last year, the unified entity actually shrunk by 28.1 percent, according to IDC.

Apple remains unlikely to challenge the top two vendors in the country, Dell and Hewlett-Packard, any time soon, as the two alone account for more than half of all US sales in the most recent results at 32 percent and 25.1 percent of the market respectively. The two are nonetheless growing relatively slowly at 12.1 percent year over year for Dell and just 5.9 percent for HP.

Toshiba lost share over the period, dipping from 5.4 percent to 5.2 percent.

Preliminary U.S. PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 2Q08 (Thousands of Units) | Source: IDC

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[solipsism]

Nice. Unit sales are nice and all, but I'd like to see how Apple compares to HP and Dell on the same level. Id est, C2D-level processors of ≥$1000 machines. That is where the real cheese is located.

[SpamSandwich]

Neat. Remember when Apple's 4% share was considered a huge deal not so long ago?

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

Neat. Remember when Apple's 4% share was considered a huge deal not so long ago?

Oh yeah! Need to dig up some of those old AI articles.

[city]

Does Acer still assemble their "New" computers from used or returned parts and claim that such practice is the industry standard?

[murphyweb]

Are Apple getting into the computer game now? Wow, smart move, never saw that coming!

Okay, maybe that was just tired and predictable and really nice to read something that has nothing to do with that bloody iPhone.

Where is my new Mac Mini Mr Jobs? I cannot hold out much longer, my MBP is getting bored of being my substitute media centre. Bring out some new stuff please or I am buying a PS3. Keep this great momentum going.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by city

Does Acer still assemble their "New" computers from used or returned parts and claim that such practice is the industry standard?

They don't do that anymore than any other company. I remember Apple being in the same boat about that a few years ago.

[Ireland]

Good stuff, Apple now need more stores to get their world growth up. Particularly in Europe. Aside from the UK, Apple stores are few and far between over here. Excluding the UK in Europe we're talking just one store in Rome, that's berry bad Applo. Berry berry bad

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by Ireland

Good stuff, Apple now need more stores to get their world growth up. Particularly in Europe. Aside from the UK, Apple stores are few and far between over here.

They do seem to be getting a bit saturated here in the US between the proper Apple Stores and teh Best Buy kiosks. It's my opinion that the Apple Stores did more for Mac growth than the iPod "halo effect." There are 9 more coming to Europe, and two are in new countries.

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_S...ail)#Locations

PS: There is one is one in Scotland. That is like the same as Ireland, right?

[shanmugam]

one of the problem in world wide growth for apple is fixed price ( 1$= x foreign currency) not many people can afford when $1000 converts into some big sum ...

i bet in the world wide Apple numbers there could be lots of mac minis and low end iMacs and Mac Books.

i do not know how HP, Dell, Acer and other big companies price their producs in different regions.

but one thing apple products are identical in all the regions (the specs are same)

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by city

Does Acer still assemble their "New" computers from used or returned parts and claim that such practice is the industry standard?

I thought it was some other company that was smacked for doing that, maybe Packard Bell.

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by solipsism

They do seem to be getting a bit saturated here in the US between the proper Apple Stores and teh Best Buy kiosks. It's my opinion that the Apple Stores did more for Mac growth than the iPod "halo effect." There are 9 more coming to Europe, and two are in new countries.

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_S...ail)#Locations

PS: There is one is one in Scotland. That is like the same as Ireland, right?

Scotland is in the UK, Ireland isn't. I know you were joking but I did say outside the UK, twice.

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by shanmugam

one of the problem in world wide growth for apple is fixed price ( 1$= x foreign currency) not many people can afford when $1000 converts into some big sum...

Good one. If $ = x we'd be laughing over here cause the €, which most of Europe uses, is crushing it right now. Sadly Apple just rips us off here, although not half as bad as they used to.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by Ireland

Scotland is in the UK, Ireland isn't.

You're both a bunch of skirt wearing, Goidelic speaking Celts.

(You know I'm kidding, right?)

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by solipsism

You're both a bunch of skirt wearing, Goidelic speaking Celts.

(You know I'm kidding, right?)

Irish don't wear kilts.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by Ireland

Irish don't wear kilts.

• Irish Army Pipe Band

[MsNly]

Originally Posted by solipsism

• Irish Army Pipe Band

LOL

and I'm allowed to laugh, I'm like 90% Scotch-Irish

[posner]

...for Apple to continue to build market share for at least the next 2-3 years. Over that time frame (and perhaps for well beyond that), there is nothing new and compelling on the Windows side. Meanwhile, Apple will continue to build mindshare (iPod, iPhone) and refine OS X. If they can get a substantial jump on optimizing for multiple cores in Snow Leopard, they could lock in their current advantages over Windows for a solid 5yrs or beyond. If that happens, it seems likely that we'll see a steady rise toward 20+% market share over that (5yr) period. Frankly I don't care if they ever get much beyond that level. At 20% share the anxieties of the late 90's would be a distant nightmare and we could bask in the full array of new Mac software options. Very cool.

[ALUOp]

I guess with so many new iPhone users, they will be doing even better in the future.
Good for Apple and good for computer users.
BTW,

"Apple's share of the US PC market was up more than 2 percent compared to the same period last year."

is different than

"Apple's share of the US PC market was up more than 2 percent points compared to the same period last year."

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by MsNly

LOL

and I'm allowed to laugh, I'm like 90% Scotch-Irish

Me too. And, I am neither Scottish nor Irish! Touche.

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by ALUOp

....
is different than

"Apple's share of the US PC market was up more than 2 percent points compared to the same period last year."

Not to be grammar poilice or anything (English is not my first language), but shouldn't it be:

"from" and "percentage"?

[ALUOp]

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

Not to be grammar poilice or anything (English is not my first language), but shouldn't it be:

"from" and "percentage"?

Good catch.
English is not my first language either.

http://www.bartleby.com/64/C003/098.html

I guess I didn't follow the traditional guidelines.
I hope what I said didn't cause any confusion.
But that 2 percent thing, I was confused and had to really look at the table to see if it is 2 percent or 2 percent points.

[Rot'nApple]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Apple remains unlikely to challenge the top two vendors in the country, Dell and Hewlett-Packard, any time soon, as the two alone account for more than half of all US sales in the most recent results at 32 percent and 25.1 percent of the market respectively. The two are nonetheless growing relatively slowly at 12.1 percent year over year for Dell and just 5.9 percent for HP.

But it would be nice to think of a day when Apple surpasses Dell...

WWMDD (What Would Michael Dell Do?) 'close his company, sell his stock and give the money back to the customers?!

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by ALUOp

Good catch.
English is not my first language either.

http://www.bartleby.com/64/C003/098.html

I guess I didn't follow the traditional guidelines.
I hope what I said didn't cause any confusion.
But that 2 percent thing, I was confused and had to really look at the table to see if it is 2 percent or 2 percent points.

No offense intended. Just thought that it was apropos, given the point of your original post -- with which I agree wholeheartedly -- that there should be as much clarity in the use of language as possible.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by ALUOp

Good catch.
English is not my first language either.

Don't worry about it. Your English is much better than what most of us could do in whatever your native language is.

[cameronj]

Originally Posted by shanmugam

one of the problem in world wide growth for apple is fixed price ( 1$= x foreign currency) not many people can afford when $1000 converts into some big sum ...

i bet in the world wide Apple numbers there could be lots of mac minis and low end iMacs and Mac Books.

i do not know how HP, Dell, Acer and other big companies price their producs in different regions.

but one thing apple products are identical in all the regions (the specs are same)

Really? Then I'm going to Japan! 1000 yen baby!

[shanmugam]

Originally Posted by cameronj

Really? Then I'm going to Japan! 1000 yen baby!

that is day light robbery if u want pay 1000 yen for $1000 , but hope u understand what i meant

[justfine]

Apple is making incredible margin and gross dollars (Euros, Yen, etc.). This report says nothing about the fact that Apple actually makes money selling desktops and notebooks. None of the top selling (units) in the U.S. is actually making much money on their PC's. It seems to be the same old game of market share at any cost. That only works when the volume is extraordinary. When the product itself fails to deliver the goods, the market will realize that the price/value no longer applies.

Additionally, Apple is setting the stage for today's generation. See the numbers of corporate buyers who are allowing their employees to order Macs and even huge companies who are actually "switching". See MS's problems.
Apple/Jobs thinking is far more Eastern (Japan and yes, China) in looking long term rather than at quarterly profits. Apple is way beyond the curve in its outlook than companies such as HP or Dell. A great company, not without mistakes, but a far better batting average than anyone else.

[somethinbaloo]

I wonder if that report also includes educational sales as colleges and school systems are purchasing macs utilizing the dual boot feature and also vmware fusion.

[Walter Slocombe]

Originally Posted by Ireland

Irish don't wear kilts.

no? but they do all jump up and down in nice neat lines.

that Michael feetly, what a guy.



{this post was intended as both sarcasm AND humour}

[aussie]

Originally Posted by Ireland

Good stuff, Apple now need more stores to get their world growth up. Particularly in Europe. Aside from the UK, Apple stores are few and far between over here. Excluding the UK in Europe we're talking just one store in Rome, that's berry bad Applo. Berry berry bad

I live in Rome and I agree, Apple needs to open a store here!

[Abster2core]

Biggest block against Mac's is the cost to re-purchase software.

"If only the likes of Adobe, Microsoft and Quark offered PC owners' of their respective PC softwares the choice to "upgrade" to their respective Mac version, at most, for their upgrade price.

As FileMaker does, it boxes both Mac and PC versions together for the same price, new or upgrade. As such you can run both versions at the same time on your Intel Mac. Of course, FileMaker is an Apple company.

Not only would it have a significant effect on increasing Mac sales, but for the software companies as well."

[Clive At Five]

As weird as it may sound, I don't find this to be the greatest of news. I think a lot of people don't realize that the larger Apple gets, the less personal they become.

I don't feel as well-taken-care-of by Apple as I used to since they've busied themselves by "appealing to the masses."

Shareholders should be happy though. Too bad they're ruining the feel of company.

-Clive

[shamino]

Originally Posted by Rot'nApple

But it would be nice to think of a day when Apple surpasses Dell...

And when that happens the press will still say Apple is failing. It's not enough to be number one - you've got to be better than everybody else combined or you still suck.

Heck, there are articles today that claim Apple is a failure because they have a zero-share of the sub-$300 market.

[abrooks]

Originally Posted by aussie

I live in Rome and I agree, Apple needs to open a store here!

You have a store, greedy or what!

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by aussie

I live in Rome and I agree, Apple needs to open a store here!

• http://www.apple.com/it/retail/romaest/

[hezekiahb]

Originally Posted by solipsism

• http://www.apple.com/it/retail/romaest/

I love how this store looks EXACTLY like the one here where I live. I love the way Apple has kept these very uniform; so when you travel abroad you walk in you don't need to familiarize yourself.

I hate that Walmart can't even keep their stores familiar within the same city. I'm always messed up when I walk into one I've never been in before.

Yes I'm anal.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by Abster2core

Biggest block against Mac's is the cost to re-purchase software.

"If only the likes of Adobe, Microsoft and Quark offered PC owners' of their respective PC softwares the choice to "upgrade" to their respective Mac version, at most, for their upgrade price.

As FileMaker does, it boxes both Mac and PC versions together for the same price, new or upgrade. As such you can run both versions at the same time on your Intel Mac. Of course, FileMaker is an Apple company.

Not only would it have a significant effect on increasing Mac sales, but for the software companies as well."

Back in the "old" days, a number of companies used to do that. But as Macs rapidly lost marketshare, it pretty much stopped.

[Abster2core]

Originally Posted by melgross

Back in the "old" days, a number of companies used to do that. But as Macs rapidly lost marketshare, it pretty much stopped.

Perhaps we are not insisting enough, if at all.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by Abster2core

Perhaps we are not insisting enough, if at all.

It's a tough call for a company. Put in all that work on the Mac product, and get no money for it.

Would you do that if it were your company? I would have to think hard about it.