Apple Holds Third-Place Ranking Among U.S. PC Manufacturers in 1Q 2012

Research firm Gartner today released its preliminary personal computer shipment data for the first quarter of 2012, offering up a picture of market performance during the quarter. While Apple experienced only small year-over-year unit growth of over 3.8% and was beaten among top 5 vendors by HP's 6.6% growth, the company did once again outperform the overall industry and its 3.5% decline.

gartner 1Q12 us1
Gartner's Preliminary U.S. PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 1Q12 (Thousands of Units)

Apple's share of the U.S. market registered at 10.6% and has dipped for two straight quarters, dropping from 12.9% in the third quarter of 2011 and 11.6% in the fourth quarter. The weakness in Apple's Mac sales has primarily been attributed to a lack of hardware updates as the company awaits the launch of Intel's Ivy Bridge chips. Still, Apple's 10.6% share during the quarter topped its 9.8% share from the first quarter of 2011.

gartner 1Q12 us trend
Apple's U.S. Market Share Trend: 1Q06-1Q12 (Gartner)

As usual, Gartner did not cover Apple's worldwide market share for the quarter, as the company does not rank among the top five vendors on a worldwide basis. PC shipments experienced slow 1.9% year-over-year on a worldwide basis, with strong growth from Lenovo and Asus keeping the industry in positive territory.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

New iPhone 17 Pro Details: Brighter Display, Best Battery Life, and More

Wednesday September 3, 2025 5:33 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models will feature a number of significant display, thermal, and battery improvements, according to new late-stage rumors. According to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital," the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature displays with higher brightness, making it more suitable for use in direct sunlight for prolonged periods. The iPhone 16 Pro and...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

iPhone 17 Pro: 5 Reasons Not to Upgrade This Year

Monday September 1, 2025 4:35 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series this month, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming to...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Prices Estimated Ahead of Apple Event Next Week

Tuesday September 2, 2025 1:50 pm PDT by
Just one week before Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series, an analyst has shared new price estimates for the devices. Here are J.P. Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee's price estimates for the iPhone 17 series in the United States, according to 9to5Mac: Model Starting Price Model Starting Price Change iPhone 16 $799 iPhone 17 ...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
iOS 18 on iPhone Arrow Down

Apple Preparing iOS 18.7 for iPhones as iOS 26 Release Date Nears

Sunday August 31, 2025 4:35 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 18.7 for compatible iPhone models, according to evidence of the update in the MacRumors visitor logs. We expect iOS 18.7 to be released in September, alongside iOS 26. The update will likely include fixes for security vulnerabilities, but little else. iOS 18.7 will be one of the final updates ever released for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR,...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Centered 1

Survey: Nearly 70% of Users Plan to Upgrade to iPhone 17

Monday September 1, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
A new survey has found that nearly seven in ten iPhone owners in the United States plan to upgrade to an iPhone 17 model, signaling strong demand ahead of Apple's expected unveiling of the devices at its September 9 keynote. Smartphone price comparison platform SellCell surveyed over 2,000 U.S.-based iPhone users in August to assess upgrade interest and brand loyalty before Apple's event....

Top Rated Comments

clibinarius Avatar
175 months ago
Imagine owning a HP machine.. ugh

Who likes quality products when I have a team to root for?

I have an iPhone, a Macbook Air, and an iPad. I also had a Palm Pixi, HT Touchpad, and an HP tower. All of which are fine products.

Imagine owning an HP machine...use it and grow up!
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr Fusion Avatar
175 months ago
Someone PLEASE give Gartner a copy of Keynote. I'm tired of seeing the same fugly table.

Also, who are these people who purchase HP? It took just one phone call to their customer service center in India for me to realize just how awful they are. :(
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lilo777 Avatar
175 months ago
HP is the Honda civic while Apple is the Benz. They both get the job done but its much cooler doing it on an Apple. :cool:

BTW Dell > HP IMO

Stop with the silly car analogies. They simply do not work. You can find more powerful HP computer (compared to Apple) in every computer category. Who is the Benz now?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LaWally Avatar
175 months ago

It's called saving up!

It's called prioritizing.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
a.gomez Avatar
175 months ago
Imagine owning a HP machine.. ugh

If it does what you need it to do, who cares - just a tool. Like someone telling me they can only sketch with a Mahogany pencil.

In the end you judged by what you make, not what you own.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sensation Avatar
175 months ago
Imagine owning a HP machine.. ugh

My HP laptop is brilliant and has outlasted several of my friends Macbooks. They make great machines.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)