Mac Shipments Down in Q4 2019 Amid Overall PC Market Growth

[smirking]

Actually, I think it's probably due to the fact that Macs just last longer.

The higher-end and middle-tier PC laptops last longer too. One of the reasons of the continuing decline of the personal computing world is simply that nobody needs to refresh their computer every 2 to 4 years anymore and anyone with an aging machine can uncork the fountain of youth simply by replacing a HDD with a SSD.

 

[Freeangel1]

wow. I hope they allow Hackintosh's in the future? I have no desire to convert to an ARM based Mac. A 5G iPad will do for that. I have a Dell 7920 Powerhouse workstation that I bought on Ebay for only $1300 that will probably beat the New Mac Pro in specs with the proper CPU's and Video Card. The Dell is highly upgradable , repairable by me with parts off Ebay. Future Proof.

I don't see a future much longer in Intel Macs . Not when it is cheaper to convert to a Windows 10 Powerhouse workstation. Companies in IT are always looking to save money and standardize . With Expensive and NON UPGRADABLE Mac's the choice is clear. Windows 10. Windows already owns 92 percent of the desktop OS around the world. No Way The Mac will ever catch up. And Only APPLE can fix their Macs. no one else. companies like Vender Repair Choice.

The Future is always Getting MORE Expensive . But A $6500 Mac Pro Shocked me given the state of our nation.

I was hoping for $500 and less Mac Laptops to bring Apple OS to the masses. Guess it was just a pipe dream for many years.
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PS. The only way Mac can stay alive against windows is if some Virus destroyed Windows Machines all over the world. and the Mac was so secure and not affected. Then People would start dumping Windows for MAC

Link in Terminator 3 Movie. SKYNET

 

[GtrDude]

With those horrible feeling keyboards, Butterfly and the new Scissor,
and the 100% forced-upon-us Touch Bar, and USB-C only, I'm not surprised
in the least that people - other than die hard Apple fans - would not want
to buy these new laptops of theirs.

At least with the previous generations they were compatible to the rest
of the computer market and some people just had to get used to a new OS.

Now their new laptops are completely different from anything else...too different.

 

[Freeangel1]

Linux or UNIX will always be the preferred SERVER OS over windows or MAC because of all the threats out there. that's all I would ever use as a Server connected to the internet for 24/7 no worries

 

[pier]

I just wonder if this has more to do with the fact that iPads are increasingly being seen by average consumers as MacBook alternatives.

Possible but I doubt it's a major influence.

Most likely it's the fact that Apple sells many more laptops than desktops and Apple laptops have been pretty bad for the last 5 years. The new 16'' MBP seems to be the real deal but it will take time for consumers to regain confidence if they haven't already moved to Windows.
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With those horrible feeling keyboards, Butterfly and the new Scissor,
and the 100% forced-upon-us Touch Bar, and USB-C only, I'm not surprised
in the least that people - other than die hard Apple fans - would not want
to buy these new laptops of theirs.

Totally.

I'd buy a MBP today if there was a 13'' with the old keyboard, at least 1 USB-A port, no touch bar, and no T2 chip.

 

[urnotl33t]

I just wonder if this has more to do with the fact that iPads are increasingly being seen by average consumers as MacBook alternatives.

I can imagine a typical Apple consumer deciding to keep their old MacBook with dwindling battery life in clamshell mode and connected to a Monitor. Then, they just buy a $250 iPad on sale as their mobile laptop "alternative". An iPad is perfectly fine for light productivity, mail, messages, web, calendar, notes, reading, photos, video, social media, etc... This is 90% of what most people do anyway. Then, they can use the old computer for the heavier tasks, which are becoming increasingly less frequent as iPad capabilities improve.

Why spend big bucks on a new Mac?

Typical consumers have no idea they have a butterfly keyboard or non-upgradable SSD. It's just not on their radar. They are just seeking lower priced options to fill the same need, which in most cases are pretty modest.

I think Windows users are more likely to stick with cheap Windows machines rather than make the shift to iPad.

Anyway, all pure conjecture on my part.

Minus the Windows users line, you described my mom. Her trusty MacBook Air is finally dying (-ish; the display ribbon cable is breaking). She has it running just like you said, and got a new iPad Pro to replace everything she does for 90% of her tasks.

Another anecdote for your conjecture. 😁

 

[smirking]

With those horrible feeling keyboards, Butterfly and the new Scissor,
and the 100% forced-upon-us Touch Bar, and USB-C only, I'm not surprised
in the least that people - other than die hard Apple fans - would not want
to buy these new laptops of theirs.

Keyboards come and go. I sure hope that rMBP scissor keyboards are not the end stage of mobile keyboard design. I'd be sorely disappointed because I'm sure our best and brightest in manufacturing, mechanical engineering, and product design can do better. So long as a keyboard is built into a laptop, there will always be plenty of people left wanting.

Fortunately, external keyboards in every imaginable variety are now very easy to obtain so you can spend most of your time using something that feels good to you.

USB-C? You can get cheap endcaps adapters for $1US each to turn all of your USB-A devices into USB-C compatible ones. USB-A and USB-C both have their areas of strength over each other, but USB-C has a greater set of advantages. How many times have you been thwarted because you had the wrong USB-B plug at the other end of a USB-A cable? I look forward to the day when I don't need to pay attention to which plug is at both ends of a cable. I can just carry a USB-C cable and be done with it.

Change is both terrifying and exciting at the same time. I don't have much control over it so I choose to focus on the exciting part.

 

[smirking]

Linux or UNIX will always be the preferred SERVER OS... that's all I would ever use as a Server

That's a curious statement given that MacOS is a version of UNIX.

However, I agree. I'd never use a MacOS machine as a server, but it's not because it's inherently insecure. It's because there are no current day MacOS Web servers in production and a Linux server is a lot less expensive.

 

[user_xyz]

Price has gone Up, Up and Up some more!!

But sales are Down??

Who woulda thought???

 

[smirking]

Price has gone Up, Up and Up some more!!

Actually, the prices have been coming down. Sometime around the middle of last year, Apple seemed to embark on a policy of edging their pricing downward, much to the dismay of people who like to talk about the resale value of their Macs.

You have to also factor in that every Apple laptop comes with an assurance of retail customer support in the form of Apple Stores that you just aren't going to get with any other computer assuming that you live in an area where there's an Apple Store within a short drive away.

They're still expensive, but there's less Apple Tax and more product/benefit reflected in the sale prices.

 

[Jury]

Price has gone up. Innovation has gone down. PROBLEM?>It makes no sense that APPLE omitted The Magsafe, MICROSD SLOT, User-Replaceable SSD for the MBP.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

now they’re one of the worst.

Because Apple created something that, for MOST people, is way better than the Mac. As folks buy those, they no longer need Macs. Mac sales are going to continue to drop, just like Apple II sales before it.
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to bring Apple OS to the masses.

They ARE bringing an Apple OS to the masses, it’s called iPadOS and iOS.

 

[4jasontv]

Bring us a fair-priced Mac mini and we will buy. Not everyone needs or wants a new screen to come with their computer. The current Mac mini is too costly (although it's also a powerhouse... more than the average consumer needs).

This. When my 2009 iMac's GPU died I went looking for a replacement mac mini to run a devonthink server. I don't need a supercomputer to host my files so $500 for a little power efficient device was well worth it. However, now they are $800 base and they are still slower than my old iMac.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Most likely it's the fact that Apple sells many more laptops than desktops and Apple laptops have been pretty bad for the last 5 years.

EVERY year of the last five years, iPads have been cheaper than even the cheapest Apple laptop. And even those have way more power than most people people need. It’s most certainly because folks don’t need a Mac when a cheaper iPad will suit them just fine.

 

[Red9999]

unless you are developing app for ios or need to use final cut pro, there is no technical reason for mac.

PCs are better for other use cases.
business laptop PCs, e.g. thinkpad, latitude or hp elite book, are better, cheaper and more durable (having military standard certification) than macbooks.

 

[danny842003]

Sounds like Apple is doomed again

View attachment 888420

Time for cook to go clearly.

 

[Spungoflex]

Prices are just astronomical. I badly want a Mac but I just can’t justify the cost. Not to mention you need to pair your Mac with a 4K monitor since they abandoned antialiasing since Mojave (who the hell just abandons all that code long before the majority have made the switch to high-res screens?). That, more than anything, is the real kicker for me.

 

[MacBH928]

Its sad to see Apple neglecting the Mac in favor of mobile devices. Mac Market share is estimated to be around 15%. There is some serious space to grow. Mac used to be a preferred choice for students, now it seems like a luxury item like driving a Mercedes to your college.

 

[pneves1975]

Apple's worldwide Mac shipments were down in the fourth quarter of 2019, according to new PC shipping estimates shared this afternoon by Gartner.

Apple shipped an estimated 5.26 million Macs during the quarter, down from 5.43 million in the year-ago quarter, a decline of three percent.

Gartner's Preliminary Worldwide PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 4Q19 (Thousands of Units)

​

Apple's market share was also down, dipping from 7.9 percent in Q4 2018 to 7.5 percent in Q4 2019. The drop in Apple's shipments comes as the overall PC market saw growth for the first time since 2011, driven by demands for Windows 10 upgrades.

Apple maintained its position as the number four PC vendor in the world, trailing behind Lenovo, HP, and Dell, all of which saw year-over-year growth.

Lenovo was the top PC vendor with 17.5 million shipments and 24.8 percent market share, followed by HP with 16.1 million shipments and 22.8 percent market share and Dell with 12.1 million PCs shipped and 17.2 percent market share.

Asus and Acer came in after Apple with around four million PCs shipped each and 5.8 and 5.7 percent market share, respectively. Aside from a small drop in Asus shipments, Apple was the only major PC vendor to see Q4 2019 shipments fall.

Apple's Market Share Trend: 1Q06-4Q19 (Gartner)

​

Apple fared a bit better in the United States, with shipments that were about stagnant. Apple shipped 2.13 million Macs in the U.S., up 0.8 percent from the 2.11 million that it shipped in the fourth quarter of 2018. Apple is the number four vendor in the U.S., coming in after HP, Dell, and Lenovo, with Microsoft coming in behind Apple. Overall U.S. PC shipments were also up 4.6 percent year over year.

Gartner's Preliminary U.S. PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 4Q19(Thousands of Units)

​

For all of 2019, Apple's worldwide Mac shipments were down 0.9 percent, with Apple shipping an estimated 18.4 million Macs during the year compared to 18.5 million in 2018. Apple's overall 2019 market share came in at 7 percent, with Apple securing the number four spot after Lenovo (63 million PCs shipped), HP (58 million PCs shipped), and Dell (44 million PCs shipped).

Gartner's Preliminary Worldwide PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 2019 (Thousands of Units)

​

In the future, Gartner believes the PC market will continue to decline, despite the growth this year, though new technologies like foldable PCs are "something to keep an eye on."IDC also released its own shipment estimates this afternoon, noting a similar decline in sales from Apple. IDC's data suggests Apple shipped 4.72 million Macs in Q4 2019, down from 4.98 million in the year-ago quarter.

IDC also notes the same decline in total 2019 shipments compared to 2018, suggesting Apple shipped an estimated 17.7 million Macs during the year, down from 18 million in 2018.

It's important to note that data from Gartner and IDC is estimated and not reflective of Apple's sales, though historically, it has not been far off. We used to be able to check estimated shipment data when Apple provided quarterly earnings releases with actual Mac sales information, but Apple no longer breaks out unit sales for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, making it impossible to determine exact sales numbers.

Apple's sales were down in 2019 despite the release of multiple new MacBook models, including the new 16-inch MacBook Pro, and the new Mac Pro. It's not yet clear what Apple is planning for 2020, but thus far we haven't heard rumors of Mac upgrades that suggest a significant boost in sales is on the horizon.

Article Link: Mac Shipments Down in Q4 2019 Amid Overall PC Market Growth

Interesting figures!

Maybe I start to see something that I really want to buy instead of what Apple wants to sell, e. g.
- A 15/16 inch laptop that does not burn when connected to an external display
- Reasonable prices for upgrades, not asking 330euros for a processor upgrade that costs around 150
- Reasonable prices for upgrades, parts II and III - RAM and SSD
- 2020 era refresh rate displays on all laptops

Moreover we will see this inevitably on iOS market too. No more IPhone every year, watch is a disappointment in battery life (charge a phone everyday is bad, but a watch needs to be taken off and is much more bad!),and I still miss the point of an iPad instead of a touch Mac anyway.

here is to 2020 and hope Apple listens more and makes less stupid mistakes (keyboard failures, Catalina, ...).
Get the memo Apple. If I am ranting here it’s because I still like your products. Like I did with Windows, I never looked back when I was being served well with you. But Surface Laptop 3 with an Ice Lake is around the corner if you don’t wanna deliver.

 

[femike]

I would be happy with a decently designed plastic thicker macbook with ports with a 16:10 1080p matte screen at a reasonable price. Of course the specs cannot be hobbled but at the same time doesn't need to be high end.

 

[HandITOVER]

SMH.

 

[skipper63]

To me, this represents what the future of tablets will be

Wow, how innovative, two iPads hinged together;-) Why would you want to have a display that is cut in half by a hinge? The only advanteag of this design would be to be able to carry it in a smaller bag.

 

[sideshowuniqueuser]

Why can't Apple go back to its first Gen retina MacBook pro style? That style has everything. Great keyboard, weight, ports, mag-safe, style. The newer models just don't have that.

Just unsolder the RAM and rMBP is the perfect machine.

 

[chucker23n1]

Just unsolder the RAM and rMBP is the perfect machine.

The RAM is literally just two chips on the logic board now. Making it user-replaceable would make the machine way thicker.

 

[bn-7bc]

I never see PC laptops in the wild - who are these ppl?

Visit any place that deaks with engeneering, not saying macs cant do jt, the problem is Doludworks and autocad does not run on macos, ok they could run it in bootcamp, but if they havetobeun windows anyway, why not get a laptop designed for it? Or does this not qualify in your definition of "in the wild"