The global PC market had a tough third quarter in 2026, but different research firms show Apple doing better than some expected. While the IDC research group recently noted a dip in Apple shipments down to 5.9 million units, new data from Omdia points to noticeably higher numbers. Omdia claims the tech company actually shipped out closer to 6.8 million computers during the same three months.
High prices and supply chain problems drag down computer shipments
The wider PC industry took a big hit this past quarter. Total shipments of desktops and notebooks dropped 21.2% compared to last year, landing at 58.1 million units. Omdia notes that this is the sharpest drop since early 2023. A major reason for this slump comes down to the cost of basic parts. Prices for memory and storage are climbing fast. These parts now make up nearly 40% of the material costs for a new computer.
Computer makers have raised retail prices multiple times to cover these expenses. Regular shoppers and business buyers are holding back on spending as a result. Lenovo kept the top spot in sales, followed by HP and Dell. Yet all three brands saw big drops in shipment numbers. Even with a weaker quarter, Apple managed to grow its overall standing in the market. Because it positions the Mac as a premium product, it avoided some of the worst drops hitting cheaper brands.
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IDC put the company’s global PC market share at 9.5%. Omdia suggests its market share climbed even higher to 11.7%. Both research groups agree on the larger trend. The company is capturing a larger slice of a shrinking market. It continues to sell a solid mix of desktops and MacBook models while other brands are forced to slow down production lines.
Looking ahead, the next few months will still be difficult for the computer industry. Omdia expects shipments to drop another 24% in the final quarter of 2026. Unless supply chain pressures let up and component pricing settles down, computer makers will have to find new ways to attract buyers in 2027.
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