Lenovo is the new No. 1 in the global PC market that also includes tablets, according to just released data from research firm Canalys, toppling Apple. Unlike other research firms such as IDC and Gartner, Canalys chooses to include tablets in its statistics.
The report is some good news for Lenovo which ranks No. 1 in PC-laptop sales but has seen tablet shipments fall along with smartphone sales.
However, Canalys also notes that Lenovo passed Apple in the second quarter of this year as sales of iPads are “fading.”
Confusing numbers
The research firms have different means of measuring shipments, so figures seldom match precisely.
- WTW coverage of PC shipments alone: Lenovo keeps No. 1
- WTW coverage of tablets: Lenovo, industry sales falter
- WTW coverage of smartphones: Lenovo shipments fall sharply
Plus, the entire PC sector as calculated by Canalys fell 12 percent year-over-year to 109 million units.
Combining all devices, Lenovo shipped nearly 16 million, good for a global market share of 15 percent.
Apple shipped some 240,00 fewer units, including 10.9 million iPads.
Tim Coulling, Canalys’ Senior Analyst, sees the trend going forward favoring Lenovo but notes the company, which operates its global executive headquarters in Morrisville, faces problems, too.
“With a more diverse product portfolio, Lenovo is in a stronger position than Apple to cement its lead in the market,” he said. “But it is not without its own challenges, and has recently had to take steps to clear a significant build-up of PC inventory in EMEA.’
HP came in third, Dell fourth, Samsung fifth.
“Apple and Lenovo lead the market in their home countries of the U.S. and China respectively. But Apple is heavily reliant on worldwide iPad shipments, which totaled 10.9 million units this quarter,” Coulling added.
“Apple remains exposed to the fortunes of the worldwide tablet market, which has experienced annual declines for three consecutive quarters.”
