In the second quarter of this year, global shipments of personal computers increased by three per cent year-over-year, reaching 64.9 million units. According to the analytical company IDC, this positive development can be attributed to the growing demand for devices equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Apple recorded the largest increase in sales.
The personal computer market has struggled with a decline in the past two years, but the second consecutive quarter is now showing signs of recovery. Analysts from IDC predict that the market is “gradually recovering from the slowdown in orders” that followed the COVID-19 pandemic, during which there was a massive increase in purchases.
Apple’s computer shipments increased by an impressive 20.8% year-over-year, representing the highest growth among all manufacturers. Acer ranked second with a growth of 13.7%. This surge can be attributed to the increasing interest in AI-equipped computers and the commercial renewal cycle.
Despite the global market’s growth, overall expansion continues to be hindered by weak results in China, where demand for new computers is low. IDC indicated that excluding China, worldwide shipments would have grown even more significantly—by five per cent.
Regarding the total number of devices sold, Lenovo remains the market leader with a share of 22.7%, followed by HP with a share of 21.1%. Dell holds third place with a share of 15.5% despite a 2.4% shipment decline. Apple ranks fourth with a market share of 8.8%, while Acer is in fifth place with a share of 6.8%.
Ryan Reith, IDC’s Vice President for Device Sales Tracking, stated that “interest in AI-equipped computers and the commercial renewal cycle likely contributed to the market’s recovery.” He added, “The buzz around AI is clearly big, but even in the area of purchasing regular computers without AI, a lot is happening. This mature market is starting to show signs of positive development.”