Apple Nearing No. 1 in PC Sales (If the Figures Are Padded)
Apple is currently the second-largest PC vendor worldwide, after Hewlett-Packard. But by this time next year it may be the first — if you count the iPad as a PC.
This according to research outfit Canalys, which says Apple’s share of the PC market has spiked 6 percent in the past year alone. Driving that growth: Heavy demand for the iPad, which Canalys considers a personal computer.
“Apple has seen its PC market share expand from 9 percent to 15 percent in just four quarters, though iPad shipments in its core market — the United States — are likely to come under pressure in Q4 due to the launch of the Fire and Nook at extremely competitive price points,” said Canalys Analyst Tim Coulling. “HP and Apple will fight for top position in Q4.”
With the victor in that battle undoubtedly to be determined by the success of the iPad 3 — again, if you consider tablets to be PCs.
Anyway … Canalys estimates that global PC shipments will reach 415 million in 2011, a 15 percent year-over-year increase, thanks largely to the popularity of tablets like Apple’s iPad. Its estimate for total 2011 tablet shipments: 59 million.