Lenovo overtakes Apple to lead PC market with a 15% share in Q2 2015

Lenovo took the top spot from Apple in the PC market (desktops, notebooks and tablets) in Q2 2015. Apple had held the lead since Q3 2014. Lenovo shipped just under 16.0 million PCs, some 240,000 more than Apple, giving it a 15% market share.

The worldwide PC market fell 12% annually to 109.2 million units, with double-digit percentage declines affecting desktop, notebook and tablet shipments. Apple, HP and Dell followed Lenovo, with marginal increases in their shares of the declining market. Samsung completed the top five, but experienced a slight dip in share as a result of slowing tablet sales and the scaling back of its participation in the notebook market.

‘Apple and Lenovo lead the market in their home countries of the US and China respectively. But Apple is heavily reliant on worldwide iPad shipments, which totaled 10.9 million units this quarter. iPads represented 70% of Apple’s total PC shipments in Q2, and these shipments have been falling year on year since peaking in Q4 2013. Apple remains exposed to the fortunes of the worldwide tablet market, which has experienced annual declines for three consecutive quarters,’ said Tim Coulling, Canalys Senior Analyst. ‘Lenovo controls almost 30% of the Chinese PC market and is steadily building its share in the US. With a more diverse product portfolio, Lenovo is in a stronger position than Apple to cement its lead in the market. 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.’