The global PC market is showing solid signs of recovery, with Apple leading the charge among significant manufacturers. According to the latest data from International Data Corporation (IDC), the traditional PC market experienced a 3% year-over-year (YoY) growth in the second quarter of 2024, marking its second consecutive quarter of expansion after a prolonged decline.
The report reveals that worldwide PC shipments reached 64.9 million units in Q2 2024, with Apple as the top performer among major brands. The Cupertino-based tech giant saw an impressive 20.8% increase in Mac shipments compared to last year, significantly outpacing its competitors and strengthening its position in the global PC market.
This resurgence comes as a welcome development for an industry grappling with challenges in recent years. The PC market had previously experienced seven consecutive quarters of decline, making this turnaround particularly noteworthy. While the overall market benefited from favourable comparisons to 2023, the growth was uneven across all regions.
Notably, weak results in China continued to hold back the market’s full potential. Excluding China, the global PC market showed even more robust growth, with shipments increasing by more than 5% YoY. This disparity highlights the uneven nature of the recovery and the ongoing challenges faced in specific key markets.
Apple’s exceptional performance can be attributed to several factors, including the growing popularity of its M-series chips, which have garnered praise for their power efficiency and performance. The company’s focus on integrating its hardware and software ecosystems has also likely increased consumer interest in Mac products.
While Apple led the pack in terms of growth rate, other major manufacturers also saw positive trends. Lenovo maintained its position as the market leader with a 3.7% shipment increase, capturing 22.7% of the market share. HP Inc. followed closely with a a 21.1% market share and a 1.8% shipment growth. Acer Group also performed well, with a 13.7% increase in shipments.
Interestingly, Dell Technologies was the only top-five vendor to experience a decline, with a 2.4% decrease in shipments compared to Q2 2023. However, the company still maintained a significant 15.5% market share.
