Apple introduced the M3 MacBook Air earlier this year with notable improvements on the inside and a new model with a bigger form factor. The MacBook Air is potentially the best-selling MacBook, and recent upgrades are a cherry on top as the company embarked on its 3nm journey for the M series chips. Market Intelligence report suggests that Apple's Mac market share grew in the United States by 22 percent in the first quarter of this year, while the entire PC market share only grew by 5 percent.
Apple's market share grew by 22 percent in the first quarter, significantly more than PC in the United States
It would not be wrong to believe that Apple's M3 MacBook Air launch contributed to the latest numbers, as the devices are quite capable when it comes to performance. As mentioned, Canalys reports that Mac shipments increased by 22.4 percent compared to the previous year during the same quarter. In contrast, the PC market share only grew by 5 percent, which shows that the Mac's popularity has grown over time.
PC (excluding tablets) shipments to the United States grew 5% year-on-year to 14.8 million units in Q1 2024. The consumer and SMB segments were the key growth drivers, both witnessing shipment increases above 9% year-on-year in the first quarter.
The intelligence firm believes that the PC market will grow by 8 percent next year, and the company shares two reasons for this. For one, Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10, which could allow users to get the latest machines supporting the latest software. Secondly, Microsoft's new AI initiatives are quite appealing, which could boost sales further. However, if the current trends continue, Apple could also see an uptick in market share due to the announcement of its AI features for the Mac.
Growth in small and medium businesses indicates that the anticipated refresh brought by the Windows 10 end-of-life is underway. With enterprise customers set to follow suit, the near-term outlook for the market remains highly positive.
This timing also coincides with greater availability of on-device AI capabilities in the market, with new products and user experiences set to excite consumers and businesses across both the Windows and Apple ecosystems. The US is forecasted to be a leader in the adoption of AI-capable PCs as vendors and their partners prioritize go-to-market efforts to capitalize on the significant opportunity to upgrade customers to premium devices.
Apple's Mac shipments went up from 1.7M last year to 2.1M this year, which is a decent gain YoY and a sign that numbers could further improve. As mentioned, the company could see a further increase in market share after Apple upgrades its entire Mac lineup with different versions of the M4 chip. If we compare the numbers, Apple gained over 14.2 percent share of the PC market in the United States. The current quarter and the next could also prove to be beneficial for the company after the Apple Intelligence announcement. We will be keeping a close eye on the market, so be sure to stick around.
About the author: Ali Salman is a technology reporter for Wccftech mobile section with a specialized focus on Apple and the intellectual property that drives mobile innovation. He has cultivated a unique expertise in analyzing and deconstructing complex technology patents, translating dense legal and technical documents into clear, insightful reports on future products.
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