The global PC market continued to shrink last quarter, with PC shipments falling by 13.4% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2023, according to International Data Corporation (IDC). No PC vendor has been able to fully escape the effects of weak overall demand over the past year and a half, but in the latest quarter only Apple's sales figures showed an increase: demand for Macs has increased rather than declined.
According to IDC data, the big manufacturers (Lenovo, Dell, Acer) saw double-digit declines, HP sales were flat (-0.8%), while Apple's 5.3 million Mac sales this quarter give it an 8.6% share of the PC market, representing an annual growth rate of 10.3%.
This was the sixth consecutive quarter of decline due to macroeconomic headwinds, weak demand from both the consumer and business sectors, and a shift in IT budgets away from device purchases. Despite the weak results, the market performed better than forecast for the quarter. "The supply and demand roller coaster that the PC industry has faced over the past five years has been extremely challenging," said Ryan Reith, vice president of IDC's Client Device Trackers group. "Companies don't want to face the same tight supply as they did in 2020 and 2021, but at the same time, many seem hesitant to bet big on the market's recovery."
OS use data holds further surprises
If we compare the above trend in Mac sales with the distribution of operating systems used by desktop computers, we find yet another striking fact. The various versions of macOS are growing steadily and now account for 21% of desktop operating systems globally, according to Statcounter 2023 June data. If Macs account for 'only' 8.6% of new device sales, this suggests that Apple devices are being used for much longer, up to 2.5 times longer, than devices from other manufacturers, most often running Windows, and seem to need to be replaced more frequently.
There are several reasons for the growth in macOS adoption. For example, the system is known for its elegant design and user-friendly interface, which provides a visually appealing and intuitive environment for users. In addition, macOS is highly valued for its seamless integration with other Apple devices and services, creating a unified ecosystem. As is widely known, Apple also places a strong emphasis on security and privacy. It offers features such as Gatekeeper, FileVault and encryption that may resonate with users who care about the security aspect of the operating system and protecting their privacy.
