Apple regains top mobile PC spot from HP when iPad counts
updated 12:45 pm EDT, Thu August 18, 2011
DisplaySeach: Apple leads mobile PCs in spring '11
Apple has managed to get back to the top spot in mobile computing if the iPad is factored in, DisplaySearch reckoned on Thursday. At 13.6 million iPads and Macs combined, it claimed 21.1 percent of the portable computer space in the spring. HP, which was still mostly led by traditional PCs, was considerably further back at 9.7 million shipped and exactly 15 percent share.
Tablets were the "engine of growth" for mobile PCs, having shot up 70 percent just between winter and spring, and 400 percent year-over-year. About 16.4 million tablets shipped, 9.25 million (56 percent) of which were Apple models. Even if the iPad were removed from the mix, however, tablets would still have grown about 25 percent over a year ago, or far faster than the largely idle traditional PC business.
Notebooks were beating the overall PC trend but, at a two percent increase compared to spring a year ago, weren't moving nearly as quickly. Dell and Samsung had surprise successes with 33 percent and 44 percent shipment increases each. Companies like Acer, which tied their fates too closely to netbooks, were the most badly hurt and saw their shipments drop even in a positive environment for notebooks.
While disputes exist over whether tablets should count as PCs given their limited features, DisplaySearch argued that their effect was too important to discount. The newer results made it clearer that tablets were cannibalizing notebook sales, Senior Analyst Richard Shim said.
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2009
Skewing data
The iPhad is not a Personal Computer. It does not have anywhere near the capability of a PC. Of course Apple fanbois would want to include iPhad numbers in this study. Makes Apple look good. Surprising they don't include all the iPod touches in the stats. Apple fanbois would argue they do just as much as an iPhad.