The PC industry has been navigating a challenging period, marked by eight straight quarters of year-over-year shipment reductions. However, amidst this downturn, Apple has successfully held onto its market share, hovering near 9%.
The company’s performance in Mac sales has varied, often influenced by the timing of new product launches. This variability led to a particularly challenging comparison in Q4 2023.
Recent data from a J.P. Morgan analysis, based on IDC figures, indicates that the overall PC market’s decline is somewhat decelerating.
Although a quarter-over-quarter drop was observed from Q3 to Q4 in 2023, it reflects a less severe year-over-year change, hinting at a potential recovery trend.
This downward trend in the market was anticipated, as major PC brands like HP and Dell had previously warned about these market conditions.
The transition from Q3 to Q4 in 2023 saw traditional PC shipments fall by 2%, which is notably less severe compared to historical trends. The year-over-year decline for Q4 2023 was recorded at 3%, continuing the streak of quarterly declines but at a decreasing rate.
Prior years witnessed much steeper declines, ranging from 8% to as high as 29%.
HP and Lenovo emerged as exceptions during this period, managing to expand their market share sequentially in Q4 2023.
Apple’s market share, on the other hand, saw moderate fluctuations, moving from 10.6% to 8.5% across various quarters. When observed on an annual basis, Apple’s market share slightly dipped from 9.6% to 8.8%.
These shifts in shipments and market share for Apple are largely attributed to its unique release cycle for products. Apple’s strategy of launching products at different times each year leads to fluctuations in year-over-year shipment data. Nevertheless, the company has managed to maintain a stable market share over time.
Looking ahead, Apple is anticipated to unveil new Macs equipped with the M3 family of processors in the first half of 2024.
These upcoming models are expected to include refreshed versions of the MacBook Air, an M3 Mac mini, and a Mac Studio, potentially influencing future market dynamics.