Apple Now Ranked as Fifth Largest Global PC Vendor Due to Price Cuts, Improved Demand

[MacRumors]

Apple saw its worldwide PC marketshare climb to 6.3 percent in the third quarter of 2014, launching it into the top five worldwide vendors, according to new data released from IDC. While Apple has long held a position as one of the top PC vendors in the U.S., it has not made it into the list of top five worldwide vendors in quite some time.

With nearly 5 million shipments during the quarter compared to 4.5 million in the year ago quarter, Apple saw overall growth of 8.9 percent year over year, allowing it to edge out ASUS as the number five vendor. Lenovo, HP, Dell, and Acer, meanwhile, held their top four positions. Lenovo, as usual, was the top worldwide PC vendor, with more than 15 million shipments and 20 percent marketshare.

IDC's Preliminary Global PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 3Q14 (In Thousands)​

Apple moved into the number 5 position on a worldwide basis, slightly overtaking ASUS. The company's steady growth, along with recent price cuts and improved demand in mature markets, has helped it to consistently outgrow the market.

As for U.S. shipments, Apple retained its number three vendor position with more than 2.2 million shipments and 13 percent marketshare, up 9.3 percent year over year. HP and Dell held their positions as the top two vendors in the U.S., with 27.7 and 24 percent marketshare, respectively.

IDC's Preliminary U.S. PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 3Q14 (In Thousands)​

Overall, worldwide PC shipments totaled 78.5 million units and saw a year over year decline of -1.7 percent, while PC shipments in the United States totaled 17.4 million units and saw a 4.3 percent year over year growth.

Gartner has also released its shipment estimates for the third quarter of 2014, but its numbers rank ASUS as the number five worldwide PC vendor with 5.7 million shipments. On the U.S. front, Gartner's estimates also place Apple as the third U.S. vendor with 2.4 million shipments and 14.3 percent marketshare.

Apple's U.S. Market Share Trend: 1Q06-3Q14 (Gartner)​

It is important to note, as always, that the global and U.S. PC shipment estimates from both IDC and Gartner are based on preliminary data, which explains the discrepancies between the two separate shipment estimates.

Apple's move into the number five worldwide vendor comes as the company prepares to launch new iMacs and possibly other Mac upgrades at an event on October 16. Apple has also launched minor updates to its Retina MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iMac lineup throughout 2014, and has introduced price drops on the two latter products.

Article Link: Apple Now Ranked as Fifth Largest Global PC Vendor Due to Price Cuts, Improved Demand

 

[Satori]

Does this include iPad shipments as 'PCs'?

 

[normanfox]

Does this include iPad shipments as 'PCs'?

ipad is a toy compared to productivity and entertainment PC.

 

[gnasher729]

Does this include iPad shipments as 'PCs'?

Since iPads are not PCs, and since furthermore iPad sales are much higher than 10 million per quarter, no.

 

[Taz Mangus]

ipad is a toy compared to productivity and entertainment PC.

And yet you managed to not answer the OP question. Thanks for sharing though.

 

[B...]

They're great computers.

 

[gnasher729]

They're great computers.

Sure they are. If you tell us what you are talking about. Are you talking about ASUS computers, because that seems to be the company that just dropped out of the world top 5?

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Interesting that for the first time as far as I can remember IDC positions Apple higher than Gartner. It used to be always the other way round.

 

[mojolicious]

Would be interesting to see the actual value of those sales. I reckon globally Apple must be close to 10% of the market on retail price?

 

[nickdylan]

Would be interesting to see the actual value of those sales. I reckon globally Apple must be close to 10% of the market on retail price?

I think it would be a lot more - maybe even 15-20%. Keep in mind that Apple controls a much larger share of the high end market. The average PC sale is for a system that costs like $200-400 - Mac Minis (which I'd be willing to bet are their least popular systems) cost like twice that, and they only go up from there.

 

[Crosscreek]

I think it would be a lot more - maybe even 15-20%. Keep in mind that Apple controls a much larger share of the high end market. The average PC sale is for a system that costs like $200-400 - Mac Minis (which I'd be willing to bet are their least popular systems) cost like twice that, and they only go up from there.

They may be twice as much but the quality and OS are twice as good if not better not to mention support.

 

[SusanK]

Macs are the best!

 

[mdlooker]

Windows based cpu's are still the economical avenue for the mass of the globe. I don't think top-notch quality and performance is what the globe is looking to do for everyday computing.

 

[CEmajr]

iPhone is the gateway drug to the Mac

 

[scottsjack]

I think it would be a lot more - maybe even 15-20%. Keep in mind that Apple controls a much larger share of the high end market. The average PC sale is for a system that costs like $200-400 - Mac Minis (which I'd be willing to bet are their least popular systems) cost like twice that, and they only go up from there.

Not a chance of going over 10%. Macs are still a niche market of high-end computers that cannot compare to the number of PC spread literally everywhere.

Apple has never acted in the least like it wants to take on mainstream computer sales. Not only does that involve low-cost units that Apple isn't interested in it would also mean keeping operating systems up and current for many years as required by businesses. That directly conflicts with Apple's yearly OS fashion show.

Consider that one could have purchased Windows 7 back when the EOL'd Snow Leopard was alive and that there are still five more years to go before W7 dies. At Apple's current pace even Yosemite may be gone while W7 is still supported.

 

[apolloa]

iPhone is the gateway drug to the Mac

iOS7 and now iOS8 must be the painful sour comedown then.

 

[apparatchik]

Units may mean something in terms of platform penetration and user base, but it's pretty inconsequential in economic terms. A $200 Chromebook unit cant be compared to a MBP or a Mac Pro unit: margins, revenue, post sale, etc. They are totally different markets. Even different use cases. If you're counting Chromebooks (ie Asus), you very well could count iPads.

Just as with the smartphone numbers. In the markets where Apple competes, they absolutely dominate. If you would take a look at the so called high-end segments -which in reality it's a market of its own- Apple could be considered a monopoly.

Additionally, if Apple where to compete for units, they would loose both high and low end, as they would destroy the brand.

As long as they keep taking home half of the industry's profits they have little reason to fight for must shipments.

Just take a look how HP -no. 1 according to this chart- is spinning off its PC division with 55,000 lay offs as we speak.

 

[odetocode]

Pc?

PC by history is hate word for apple.. its unfortunate to be first categorized under that and not being on top!

Hi I am Mac, I am PC :-D

 

[Cooee!]

I wish ALL applications will have their OS X version so people can finally ditch windows

 

[Lictor]

I don't think top-notch quality and performance is what the globe is looking to do for everyday computing.

And if you want that, you will have to go PC, not Apple. Because you can build a PC yourself, and that allows you to cherry pick the best choice for each component. For instance, even a MacPro doesn't have the best CPU, the best SSD, the most reliable PSU or the best GPU...

 

[nagromme]

Windows based cpu's are still the economical avenue for the mass of the globe. I don't think top-notch quality and performance is what the globe is looking to do for everyday computing.

Economical if they have money to burn--or no choice.

Macs cost less in the long run: they last longer (so you buy fewer), stay fast and stable longer, have lower support costs, and great resale value. These are concrete, measurable facts, and they save you big bucks.

Add up the TCO of Macs and Windows PCs, and you'll find you can get nicely-spec'd Macs for cheaper than low-end PCs that will bog down next year.

And if you compare ALL specs without cherry-picking, Macs haven't been more expensive than PCs for years. Sometimes they're much cheaper, sometimes a little more, but generally right in the same ballpark as other name-brand PCs of similar specs. Apple simply has no low-end "throwaway" machines in the lineup, making the average price higher. (The iPad is a great PC in that low-end price category--but a different kind of PC obviously. Suitable for many people, all the same!)

I've recommended those throwaway PCs (low-end Dells) to friends who had no choice: out of work, need something to send resumes from, whatever the case may be. I regret it. They got what they paid for

 

[mozumder]

Apple really needs Windows as a pre-installed Boot-camp option on new Macs. This should add several million sales.

That and a 12", $799 MacBook Air, perhaps with an ARM cpu if Broadwell/Skylake is too expensive. Basically an iPad Air with a clamshell keyboard.

They should be able to hit those price points rather easily within the next couple of years while maintaining high margins.

The era of the $1000+ PC is over.

 

[rGiskard]

Props to Cook for helping to make this happen. The surge in sales is likely helped by his moves to offer more reasonably priced Macs. It may only be $100 off certain models, and a lower end iMac, but that's all it takes for a lot of people who want to try a Mac. Often these are people who love their iPhone and want to check out Apple's other products, but don't understand why a Mac costs a bit more.

Once they use a Mac they get it, which is why Cook's move to offer a few lower-priced options is so awesome. The only danger with this strategy is if the cheap Macs provide a sh tty OS X experience, which is why I'd like to see PCIe SSDs as the default drive on every Mac sold, with an option to add a HDD. Speed is more important than size if the intent is to hook a new Mac user.

 

[mozumder]

And if you want that, you will have to go PC, not Apple. Because you can build a PC yourself, and that allows you to cherry pick the best choice for each component. For instance, even a MacPro doesn't have the best CPU, the best SSD, the most reliable PSU or the best GPU...

actually, the Mac Pros pretty much do have the best of all those if you choose the top options.

And it would be cheaper than if you built it yourself.

 

[V.K.]

whatever Gartner and IDC are projecting (not just about Apple but about everybody) should not be taken too seriously. have people forgotten how just a few months ago they both predicted falling mac sales and then a couple of weeks later Apple reported that they actually had double digit growth.
http://fortune.com/2014/07/28/pc-sales-estimates-how-the-sausage-gets-made/

and what about that 77 million (!) mobile phones discrepancy in their numbers in 2010?! (same link)

 

[RobertMartens]

And yet you managed to not answer the OP question. Thanks for sharing though.

I think you have to read between the lines to find your answer.

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Apple really needs Windows as a pre-installed Boot-camp option on new Macs. This should add several million sales.

And then at first start up, it could ask you if you want to remove it.