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TMO Exclusive - Apple Worldwide Marketshare Inches to 2.5%; Mac mini a Strong Factor
by , 7:00 AM EDT, July 27th, 2005
Apple Computer's share of the worldwide personal computer market grew 34.8% in the second quarter, inching up just a fraction to 2.5% from 2.2% a year ago, research company IDC has told The Mac Observer. Much of Apple growth was spurred by help from sales of the iPod digital media device and continuing strong acceptance of the Mac mini.
The worldwide Q2 results put Apple in 8th place behind the likes of Dell, HP and Gateway. Apple's 2.5% share in calendar Q2 is also a slight increase over the 2.3% share it had in the first quarter of this year.
In terms of overall growth, Apple showed a 34.8% growth over the same quarter last year, and a 10.1% growth spurt from the first quarter.
"35% is pretty solid worldwide growth," Loren Loverde, Director of IDC's Worldwide PC Tracker Program, told The Mac Observer. "That's positive for Apple. In perspective, a couple of percent share points in the worldwide market isn't going to make them world market leaders, in the short term. What you want to see a string of consistent growth where you're going ground. In Apple's case, they've had 30-plus percent growth the last couple of quarters, but it's only been a couple of quarters. What they want to do is continue that string. Aside from the total magnitude of the growth, they have seen some good international growth, which they have needed."
Apple continues to sell well over one million Macs worldwide in each of the first two quarters of this year. Apple shipped 1,173,000 computers in calendar Q2, said IDC, up from 1,065,000 in Q1. In comparison, Apple shipped 870,000 Macs in the second quarter of 2004.
In terms of worldwide marketshare numbers, Dell continues in the No. 1 spot with a 19.3% share, up 23.7% from a year ago period. HP took second at 15.6% with a 16.3% growth spurt, Lenovo took third at 7.6% marketshare on a 271.3% growth jump, and Acer took fourth with a 3.7% share, or growth of 62.2% from a year ago.
The worldwide numbers come just a week after strong U.S. second quarter results. Apple's share of the P.C. market in the U.S. took a dramatic 22% jump in the second quarter, surging to 4.5% from 3.7% a year ago, IDC reported at the time. After further calculations, IDC has adjusted Apple's Q2 U.S. marketshare, lowering it slightly to 4.4%, TMO has learned.
Mac mini selling extremely well
Mr. Loverde said factors that helped propel Apple to a higher international market share were its iPod digital media device, consumer interest in its iTunes Music Store and strong sales of its entry-level consumer P.C., the Mac mini.
Although final calculations have not been completed, Mr. Loverde told TMO it appears some 15% of Apple's overall Mac desktop sales volume for Q2 came from sales of the Mac mini worldwide. If that number holds true, it would be the same percentage the Mac mini posted internationally in the previous quarter.
"It's been pretty solid for a new product and that's a decent rise," he said. "It's continuing to get positive customer attention and I would expect its sales volumes to stay strong for some time."
Beginning with its fiscal second quarter, Apple stopped breaking down sales figures of each product, resorting to grouping them together into families. As a result, there has been no firm indication of just how well the Mac mini has done, other than verbal comments by Apple executives that they have been "pleased" with its acceptance.
If IDCs Mac mini sales figures are correct, the company sold a little over 103,000 Mac mini's in the calendar second quarter, based on total desktop sales of 687,000. The IDC results are the first and only indication that the Mac mini started strong since its introduction last January and has remained so ever since.
More 'halo' evidence?
Mr. Loverde said the worldwide numbers are further evidence of what many have called the 'halo effect' -- the notion that strong sales of iPods will spill over into sales of Macs.
"It seems they are seeing some real connection between the success of their online music business and the iPod and their P.C. business," he commented. ""It's hard to make that statement conclusively, but just based on the publicity that they've received from the music sector and the change in growth over the last couple of quarters, which has been quiet remarkable, it seems to coincide pretty well with the visibility of the music business. I think it's safe to say that there is some element of a halo affect."
Analysts have routinely cited the factor in bolstering their outlook of Apple, but to date Apple has refused to publicly release data proving the phenomenon really exists.
Observer Comments
Wed Jul 27, 2005 8:05 am Subject: Wow! .3% Gain - Jobs Secret Plan To Dump OS X for Linux
If I'm not mistaken, but I believe the Intel announcement feel within the 2nd quarter for Apple. That would mean that RC is full of S*** saying that Apple's market share would fall off since nobody would want to buy an obsolete computer right before the switch. Even if I AM mistaken and the Intel announcement was right after the end of Q2 (not exact on the dates and don't have time to check right now) The rumors were heavy by that point anyway and surely would have impacted sales by his logic. Does it hurt being wrong RC, or are you just used to it by now? I can't wait to see what load of crap you pull out of your ass on this one.
QuoteRealityCheck wrote:
With all the iPod buzz and low-priced Mac mini, only a .3% increase in market share isn't cutting it. While Jobs was humping the Mac hardware to iLemmings, he knew it wouldn't last and spent the last 5 years planning to switch to the Intel PC.
Jobs also knows the Mac OS is doomed, it's already far behind Linux. Are you expecting developers to make three versions of their software. Technology convergence will happen to the OS market as well, the winner will be the non-proprietary Linux. You know Jobs is already planning for it. Using cheap Chinese PCs with free Linux, Jobs could take on MS and Dell. You heard it here first.
That makes no sense RC, you're saying that Apple would not make 3 versions of it's OS (I'm assuming to run on the different hardware configs for the first few years) and that Linux is a better choice. Apple would still have to customize Linux to be their own OS and would have to port it to run on multiple hardware configs as well. Anyone who has run Linux on a Mac knows that you can't run the exact same versions between PC/Mac hardware. If you even spent any time looking at Apple news, you would already know that Apple has already developed OS X to run on Intel and that has been that way for years. Why would Apple drop an OS that they already have prepped and can charge for, for an OS that they don't control the development of and can't charge for the actual OS itself anymore.
I'm assuming you have 0 contact with the business side of where you work, because if you did, you'd be out of a job by now using your logic. You are an absolute moron, you heard it here first.
QuoteRealityCheck wrote:
With all the iPod buzz and low-priced Mac mini, only a .3% increase in market share isn't cutting it. While Jobs was humping the Mac hardware to iLemmings, he knew it wouldn't last and spent the last 5 years planning to switch to the Intel PC.
Jobs also knows the Mac OS is doomed, it's already far behind Linux. Are you expecting developers to make three versions of their software. Technology convergence will happen to the OS market as well, the winner will be the non-proprietary Linux. You know Jobs is already planning for it. Using cheap Chinese PCs with free Linux, Jobs could take on MS and Dell. You heard it here first.
And in response to your sarchastic remark about the .3% increase, do you even bother reading these articles, or do you just post after seeing the title? Apple is on a stead track of market share increases, so while .3 may be small, its another step in the right direction which can't be said for other companies in the top 8 (and I'm not naming any names)
I swear that you use your own little fantasy world of purple trees and little green men to validate and prove your own philosophy a.k.a. "opinion"
When are you going to post something useful and insightful?
QuoteRealityCheck wrote:
With all the iPod buzz and low-priced Mac mini, only a .3% increase in market share isn't cutting it. While Jobs was humping the Mac hardware to iLemmings, he knew it wouldn't last and spent the last 5 years planning to switch to the Intel PC.
Jobs also knows the Mac OS is doomed, it's already far behind Linux. Are you expecting developers to make three versions of their software. Technology convergence will happen to the OS market as well, the winner will be the non-proprietary Linux. You know Jobs is already planning for it. Using cheap Chinese PCs with free Linux, Jobs could take on MS and Dell. You heard it here first.
you have to be joking, RC. Why would Apple dump OS X for Linux?? OS X has a larger marketshare and is a better operating system than Linux! 3% may not seem like a lot, but Apple sells more computers than Gateway, I don't see you dissing them. Not to mention the 70% marketshare on digital music players...
I just can't believe how stupid you are! You could use Linux, which no mainstream media pays attention to, or you could use Mac OS X, which about 100 newspapers have declared the best thing since sliced bread. Seriously, Mac OS X is like Linux only you can actually find your way around the operating system. LINUX IS TOO HARD FOR NORMAL PEOPLE!
So you think the winner will be a non proprietary Linux? LINUX HAS BEEN OUT FOR MORE THAN A DECADE FOR F R E E AND IT STILL CAN'T OUT"SELL" MICROSOFT'S $300 WINDOWS XP PROFESSIONAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wed Jul 27, 2005 9:14 am Subject: not only all that
QuoteSyntax_Error wrote:QuoteRealityCheck wrote:
With all the iPod buzz and low-priced Mac mini, only a .3% increase in market share isn't cutting it. While Jobs was humping the Mac hardware to iLemmings, he knew it wouldn't last and spent the last 5 years planning to switch to the Intel PC.
Jobs also knows the Mac OS is doomed, it's already far behind Linux. Are you expecting developers to make three versions of their software. Technology convergence will happen to the OS market as well, the winner will be the non-proprietary Linux. You know Jobs is already planning for it. Using cheap Chinese PCs with free Linux, Jobs could take on MS and Dell. You heard it here first.
And in response to your sarchastic remark about the .3% increase, do you even bother reading these articles, or do you just post after seeing the title? Apple is on a stead track of market share increases, so while .3 may be small, its another step in the right direction which can't be said for other companies in the top 8 (and I'm not naming any names)
a .3% increase of marketshare in the scope of 250Million United States citizens equates to a gain of 750,000 customers.
not only that but Apple is growing 3x faster than all the other computer companies, which all lose money except Dell, and out of all the computer makers in the world Apple is most profitable.
QuoteGuest wrote:QuoteSyntax_Error wrote:
but please don't take any of this as me wanting you to go away, I look forward to your posts since it brings a smile to my face everyday....right before I burst into laughter.
Mac asses!
That's mature, way to stand up for your point of view with neither opinion nor fact. Why would you take offense to something said on a site dedicated to mac lovers when you are anti-mac, if fact why are you even here? Did we hurt your poor feelings my friend. I'm so sorry to enlighten you with the truth.
QuoteGuest wrote:
I just can't keep track of all of RC's different personalities. In a recent thread he stated that "The Mac mini is an underpowered overpriced nonupgradeable toy with a slow cheesy disk drive that fails with alarming frequency. Expect the Mac mini to be joining the Mac cube in the dustbin of Mac history."
How can a machine which RC stated would be in the dustbin of Mac history now be responsible for a market share increase?
RC should post his real name in his profile "John Kerry" a.k.a. "flipper"
Wed Jul 27, 2005 10:47 am Subject: Do not feed the trolls
Wed Jul 27, 2005 11:07 am Subject: Heh
Now RC is shilling for Linux. Normally it is Windows.
Maybe he read Dvorak's article about MS and and the OS formerly known as Longhorn and now known as Vista until it is known as something else.
Odd thing is, Dvorak is usually a Mac-basher.
Wed Jul 27, 2005 11:53 am Subject: Oh, sorry to have brought up complicated stuff....
Wed Jul 27, 2005 12:27 pm Subject: Intel Switch Affecting Mac Sales
Sorry to break up the troll-bash here, but I just want to make a point pertaining to the Intel switch. Everyone has assumed this will stall sales of G5 Macs. I think that's ridiculous. Certainly there will be a percentage of buyers who will wait for the "new" Macs. I personally think this is foolish. When I heard about the switch, that only hastened my desire to buy one more new, high-end iMac - one that'll last me until well after the Intel bugs are worked out.
I think the rush to get the last G5s will only increase as we get closer to the first Intel Macs. I know *I* trust the Power PC, and as long as I have 2 or 3 years support after the switch, I'll take the IBM chip, thank you.
QuoteGuest wrote:QuoteBiff wrote:
Yeah yeah ok kids. The election is over.
...I had no idea that a lil post would bother someone bamed "Biff".
You must drive an SUV with a nice big W on it........
I suppose you're still bitter because we "stole" or "rigged" the election yet again. Like Biff said, it's over, deal with it, move on, blah blah blah...
QuoteBilly K wrote:
Sorry to break up the troll-bash here, but I just want to make a point pertaining to the Intel switch. Everyone has assumed this will stall sales of G5 Macs. I think that's ridiculous. Certainly there will be a percentage of buyers who will wait for the "new" Macs. I personally think this is foolish. When I heard about the switch, that only hastened my desire to buy one more new, high-end iMac - one that'll last me until well after the Intel bugs are worked out.
I think the rush to get the last G5s will only increase as we get closer to the first Intel Macs. I know *I* trust the Power PC, and as long as I have 2 or 3 years support after the switch, I'll take the IBM chip, thank you.
I agree, this is what I've said all along. Sales are more likely to increase prior to the Intel switch. Not only are people going to buy computers when they need them, not wait 2 years until something "better" comes along, but we've been using the PPC chip for years now and like you say, we trust it. I don't have anything personal against Intel or Apple using their chips, but I'm sure as hell not going to hold off on a computer just to get one with an Intel chip.
Wed Jul 27, 2005 2:22 pm Subject: Re: 2.5%! LOL Maczealots are losers.
Just to make sure I understand this:
People who like Macs and are here discussing something they like are losers.
Honestly dude, you hate a computer brand so much that you actually take time out of your day on a consistent basis to make nasty posts about it on the Internet. You can type whatever you want into a comment, but nothing is going to change the fact that that's pretty sad, dude.
Wed Jul 27, 2005 4:20 pm Subject: macs will continue to creep up the line
QuoteRealityCheck wrote:
With all the iPod buzz and low-priced Mac mini, only a .3% increase in market share isn't cutting it.
Actually, it's a whopping 13.6% increase. If you don't understand that without an explanation, then you're too stupid to understand the explanation. Take a basic course in math--oh, maybe 6th-grade level.
Also, remember that market share is a zero-sum game: if Apple gained market share, then someone else LOST market share. Why not bash whatever manufacturer lost market share? Oh, yeah: you failed 6th-grade math, so you can't figure that out.