Worldwide PC shipments totaled 68.5 million units in the third quarter of 2007, a 14.4 percent increase from the same period last year, according to Gartner, Inc. PC shipments in Asia/Pacific and Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) increased 23.4 percent and 16.4 percent, while PC shipments in the United States grew 4.7 percent (below Gartner’s forecast of 6.7 percent growth).
“The consumer PC market continues to drive worldwide PC market growth,” said Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst for Gartner’s Client Computing Markets group. “Back-to-school sales were a major growth factor in mature regions, although U.S. sales were softer than expected. The popularity of mobile PCs in the home market continues to propel growth.”
Hewlett-Packard retained the No. 1 position in the worldwide PC market, maintaining five consecutive quarters in the top position. HP’s growth in the worldwide market was well above the worldwide average. Gartner’s preliminary results show that HP’s growth rate exceeded regional growth averages across all regions.
Dell achieved its first worldwide shipment increase in four quarters, but its growth rate was well below the worldwide average. Its EMEA and Asia/Pacific results were positive, but it continued to struggle in the U.S. market.
Preliminary Worldwide PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 3Q07 (Thousands of Units)
Note: Data includes desk-based PCs, mobile PCs and x86 servers.
Source: Gartner (October 2007)
Acer’s shipments grew 58 percent, and by virtue of its Gateway acquisition, Acer should move further ahead of Lenovo next quarter. Lenovo experienced another quarter of exceeding the worldwide growth average. Asia/Pacific was the major driver of Lenovo’s overall growth. But Lenovo also performed well in the U.S. market and grew around the market average in the EMEA region.
In the United States, mobile PC growth continued to lead the overall growth. For the first time, mobile PC unit volume exceeded desk-based PC unit volume in the third quarter of 2007. However, both the home and professional markets registered weaker-than-expected growth.
“Economic uncertainty around the subprime mortgage lending and lower consumer confidence may have played a role in challenges vendors faced in the U.S. market,” Ms. Kitagawa said. “The third quarter is typically a consumer quarter, driven by back-to-school sales. However, the preliminary results show that back-to-school sales were softer than expected in the U.S. market.”
Dell was able to maintain the No. 1 position in the U.S. market, although its year-over-year growth rate was well below the U.S. average. The decline was mainly attributed to weaker consumer growth.
Preliminary U.S. PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 3Q07 (Thousands of Units)
Note: Data includes desk-based PCs, mobile PCs and x86 servers.
Source: Gartner (October 2007)
In EMEA, PC shipments totaled 22.1 million units in the third quarter, up 16.4 percent from the same period last year. The market was driven by demand for the return to school and related promotions. Growth in the notebook PC market continues unabated as adoption continues in mature and emerging markets.
PC shipments in Asia/Pacific totaled 18.7 million units, a 23.4 percent increase from a year ago. The region was driven by strong sales in China and India. Taiwan and South Korea also enjoyed better-than-anticipated PC shipment levels due to demand from the government and education segments, as well as continued strong uptake from the consumer market.
In Latin America, PC shipments reached 5.9 million units, a 23.9 percent increase from the third quarter last year. Mobile PC adoption continued to exceed expectations as vendors, including local brands, reported higher sales of these systems. The consumer mobile PC segment is expected to record 90 percent growth for the quarter.
In Japan, PC shipments in the third quarter totaled 3.4 million units, a 1.5 percent decline from the same period last year. The professional market declined 3 percent, while the home market showed a 1 percent increase.
These results are preliminary. Final statistics will be available soon to clients of Gartner’s PC Quarterly Statistics Worldwide by Region program. This program offers a comprehensive and timely picture of the worldwide PC market, allowing product planning, distribution, marketing and sales organizations to keep abreast of key issues and their future implications around the globe. Additional research can be found on Gartner’s Computing Hardware section on Gartner’s Web site at http://www.gartner.com/it/products/research/asset_129157_2395.jsp
MacDailyNews Take: Boom!
I wouldn’t use the word grab because customers buy into Apple inc. off their own free will.
The word Apple entices 8.1% of the market share to invest in its work changing life enhancing products, comes to mind.
I use life enhancing because your stress levels drop dramatically whilst your user experience increases your joy exponentially is indeed life enhancing.
SWEET!!!!!!
Definitely, life enhancing.
Dell was able to maintain the No. 1 position in the U.S. market, although its year-over-year growth rate was well below the U.S. average. The decline was mainly attributed to weaker consumer growth.
IOW, the only thing keeping Dell’s ass afloat is big corporate buyers.
Remember, Mikey, big fleet sales were a real boon for Detroit as well.
Maybe you could cut prices or something to keep your market share up.
Sweet to see Apple market share rise close to the 10 percent level of the US market. I suspect still under 4 percent on the world market.
Apple shares have risen over $100 a share over the past year. HP by contrast have risen $14 a share. Apple market cap stands around $150 billion, HP market cap is about $135 Billion. Dell meanwhile shows a market cap of $65 Billion with a $7/share growth over the past year. While HP seems to be the leader, Investors with an eye to the future know where the real deal lies.
Clarification – HP as “leader” = market share.
Sell! Sell! Apple is going bankrupt! It’s only the cult zealotry that’s buying Macs! blah blah blah… Sorry, was just waiting for the trolls.
Holy Cr*p!
MDN Word “lot” as in “A whole lot a fucking marketshare”
Excellent – said in my Mr. Burns impression.
My recollection was that last quarter, Q2, Apple had 5.6% US market share, tied for #3 with Gateway, before its acquisition by Acer. Looking in the related articles links, I see that was an NPD number and not Gartner’s. Either way, this is still an excellent performance, which jives with Intel’s announcement yesterday of strong laptop chip sales, Apple’s strength.
I’m feeling much better about my own guess that Apple sold in excess of 2M computers and had EPS of about 98 cents. Anything above that will boost the stock, as it will be a confirmation of Apple’s accelerating growth and market share and not slowing growth.
I’ve read the snippet several times and don’t find a single reference to Apple. Not one.
Just where does it say Apple sold 8.1% of the computers sold in the US during calendar Q3?
@Gregg Thurman
See second chart, third item is Apple.
Cheers
Looks like, both worldwide and in US, this company “Others” is the one to watch! Where do I buy stock?
That would be “Somewhere Else”.
8% market share is great, but the astounding figure is the YTY growth of 37%. No other company is trending upward at the rate of Apple.
… in the U.S., that is. Acer is kicking ass worldwide; mostly at Dell’s expense.
Apple is at 5% and will never exceed that!
Boom in the U.S.A. market but that doesn’t appear the case throughout the rest of the world; and the rest of the world has a larger market share than the American market. I’d feel more confident about Apple’s worldwide figures if I had access to a complete breakdown of the figures.
Likewise I feel much more confident if Apple released figures on their worldwide sales and market share in some detail. Why the secret? If someone on this board has access to these figures I’d feel much more confident about Apple’s worldwide market share.
“I wouldn’t use the word grab because customers buy into Apple inc. off their own free will.”
Actually normally they are tortured into an Apple purchase by some fanboy relative or significant other.
“8% market share is great, but the astounding figure is the YTY growth of 37%. No other company is trending upward at the rate of Apple.”
Well except Acer. That must mean Acer is a much better brand than Apple.
Walter: There’s no secret.
Apple always reports their Mac unit and revenue sales in segments: Americas, Europe, Japan, Retail (Apple Stores in US/Canada/UK/Japan), and Other (Filemaker and Pacific excluding Japan). And if that breakout isn’t exact, Apple always gives a % international sales during the conference call and in the 10-Q/10-K. You can get these from apple.com/investor.
Apple doesn’t report market share because it doesn’t measure how many PCs are sold by other companies. No computer company measures that; Gartner and IDC exist to estimate that.
Apple could have sold over 2 M macs for the second time.
Growing market share is important, but growing profit is the more significant companion measure. Over the last couple of years, Dell tried to grow share with minimal profit margin (or even a loss) per computer sold, and where has it gotten them?
Also, if the Acer figures don’t already include Gateway, then including Gateway in the next quarter isn’t going to help them, as Gateway is actually decreasing not just in market share, but in actual sales.
The Oct-Dec qtr is usually worse saleswise for Macs than the Jul-Sep qtr in the US. But I think with Leopard’s release, Mac sales will get another huge boost and at least equal the previous qtr (in the US).
It’s over 10% after Q4. Sweet.
“Looks like, both worldwide and in US, this company “Others” is the one to watch! Where do I buy stock?”
No way! It’s that “Total” company you should be buying stock in! They have 100% of the market!
MDN MW: “Response”, as in “This is my response”
What kind of name is “Acer”? It strikes me as idiotic.
Whatever the marketshare numbers are for Apple, the y’re going UP! That’s great for all of us!
More users. More software sold. More developers take interest.
My brother just switched after poo pooing Macs for ages. Maybe because our mom used them at her job in the hometown high school? How could they be serious machine? So, a few months ago he sends an email asking a few questions about Macs. “Is it true? They just work?”
He finally bought a Mac mini and loves Mac OS X. Now our sister, who used to be militantly anti-Mac… I was forbidden to mention Macs, especially whenever her Dell went on the fritz… is ready to take the plunge. Our aunt just got her first Mac. too. She’d been a pretty severe Stockholm-Syndrome sufferer.
If THEY switch, it’s pretty obvious to me that some kind of tipping point has been reached.