Apple jumps to no. 3 in US PC market, even without iPad

Gartner and the market intelligence firm IDC have made their quarterly proclamation about PC retail shipments, and things aren't too great for that market: Growth is much slower than expected, picking up only 2.3%, way off from the predictions of 6.7% or 12% growth made in the first quarter of this year. But even with the iPad and other tablets taking large bites out of the PC market, Apple's Mac sales are doing well, with shipments jumping up as high as 14.7%.

Both of these numbers are shipments, not actual consumer sales, but still, the numbers have turned Apple into the third largest vendor of personal computers in the US, behind the lagging Dell and HP. In a press release, Gartner said that "the preliminary findings show Apple's performance far exceed the industry average, partly driven by an iMac refreshment that attracted both consumers and buyers in the education sector."

Good news for Apple, then, all around. That's one of the wildest things about this company lately -- even as the folks in Cupertino prioritize mobile computing and emphasize the iPhone and the iPad, Macs continue to grow more popular than ever.

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Source: http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/07/14/pcs-apple-jumps-to-no…

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Gartner and the market intelligence firm IDC have made their quarterly proclamation about PC retail shipments, and things aren't too...

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strangel00p

I just hope Apple understands the implications of this and develops a great enterprise strategy, sorely lacking right now as far as I can tell (viz. Xsan, FCP X (as it stands now))

July 14 2011 at 5:45 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Brian James

This title infers the iPad is somehow a full fledged computer. It doesn't come close to the functionality of a laptop. It is ridiculous to equate iPad's and other tablets to fully featured computers.

July 14 2011 at 4:53 PM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down Reply

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Shane Smith

You imply that the iPad is not a computer. The majority of activities most people use a computer for are email, web-browsing, and simple document creation. It does all of those things, and many more. My laptop, a macbook that i love, is not capable of running most of the apps i use on the iPad, nor does it have GPS or connectivity by cell signal. If that is what you need, then it is more full featured than a "full featured computer."

Shame so few people can think outside the box...

July 14 2011 at 5:59 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Mabhatter

Right, because I have yet to see a store where Macs are piling up on shelves... If anything, Apple cuts production runs short to prime the market for new products... Rather than the WinTel model of flooding the market with cheap products, then having the store tell you "you really need x".

This isn't the whole picture note the term "retail". It sort of glosses over the fact that most PCs are still bought by IT. Departments in brown boxes. But it also means when people are spending THEIRVOWN money, they want Macs. .. Then realize how many retail outlets sell Macs... Given the Apple Store sells most Macs, which have a nice markup, versus PC stores that have nearly 0% markup, the PC retail market is very dire right now.

Them toss on iPads and realize Apple is basically printing money that even big box stores have to beg for tablescraps from.

July 14 2011 at 4:39 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Buzz Mega

...and what would the numbers be light IF the iPads were thrown in? I mean, you raised the question.

July 14 2011 at 4:35 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply