NPD: Apple maintains top mobile PC share position for Q4’11 and full year
Apple shipped nearly 23.4 million mobile PCs in Q4’11, up 128% Y/Y, and over 62.8 million mobile PCs in 2011, up 132% Y/Y, according to preliminary results from the latest NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast Report. Nearly 80% of Apple’s mobile PC shipments were iPads, more than 18.7 million shipped in the quarter, up 156% Y/Y, and 48.4 million units for the year, up 183% Y/Y.
Overall mobile PC shipments grew 12% Q/Q and 44% Y/Y, reaching 88 million units in Q4’11. This was driven by continuing strong demand for tablets. Tablet PC shipment growth was 42% Q/Q and 210% Y/Y, reaching 31.7 million units in Q4’11. Notebook PC shipments were flat Q/Q but up nearly 11% Y/Y, reaching 56.3 million units. As expected, consumer mobile PC adoption was focused on tablets, holding up demand in notebooks.
“Mobile PC brands read the writing on the wall in the fourth quarter,” said Richard Shim, NPD DisplaySearch Senior Analyst, in a statement. “Consumer demand for notebooks was expected to be weak following modest back-to-school results, especially with the expected launch of Windows 8 on the horizon, and increasing interest in tablet PCs. As a result, brands focused their typical holiday price cuts on tablets to boost demand.”
Apple’s 26.6% share in Q4’11 is largely due to its dominant position in tablet PCs, which propelled it to nearly three times the shipments of HP. The other brands in the top five market share rankings relied almost exclusively on notebook PC shipments to establish their positions.
Table 1: Preliminary Q4’11 Worldwide Top Five Mobile PC Shipment Rankings by Brand
HP maintained the top notebook PC ranking with a 15.5% share, although it lost some of its lead as shipments into North America, China, Latin America, and Asia Pacific faltered. Dell and Acer essentially tied for second place with 11.8% each. Dell had strong results in EMEA, while Acer continued to struggle in the notebook PC market. Lenovo continues to build on momentum started early this year with strong growth in China and Asia Pacific with a dip in North America, and maintained its #4 position in notebook PCs, gaining some share in Q4’11. Apple leapfrogged over ASUS and Toshiba to capture #5 with 8.3% market share.
Table 2: Preliminary Q4’11 Worldwide Top Five Notebook PC Shipment Rankings by Brand
In the tablet PC market, Apple continued its strong growth across all its regions, capturing 59.1% share in Q4’11. Newcomers Amazon and Barnes and Noble firmly planted their flags in the market, at #2 and #5, respectively—Amazon with 16.7% share and Barnes and Noble with 3.5%. Both brands focused on North America in their market entries. Samsung improved in all its key markets, particularly EMEA, helping it to reach .67% market share. ASUS continued its strong results in North America, EMEA, and Asia Pacific as it took 4.6% share in Q4’11.
Table 3: Preliminary Q4’11 Worldwide Top Five Tablet PC Shipment Rankings by Brand
Source: The NPD Group, Inc.
Hello, iPad.
Again, we're seeing the evidence of the major sea-change in the industry. Both Canalys and DisplaySearch are (rightfully) counting the iPad among "mobile PCs" (or whatever you would like to call them), and getting an early start on acknowledging reality. Good for them.
Note this comment from the article:
"The other brands in the top five market share rankings relied almost exclusively on notebook PC shipments to establish their positions."
This is no longer sufficient. If you don't offer a competitive, successful tablet, you're doing it wrong. This is 2012, and this unimaginative and lazy industry is handing the future of personal computing to Apple on a silver platter.
