PC sales slump in US – but it’s not bad news for everyone

news7f12/05/2022

0 1 minute read

Young woman sitting alone using a tablet

New research has claimed PC sales have dropped as we head into the festive period, but there could be some upsides that suggest the way we think about computers needs a rethink.

Findings from analytics firm Canalys show that shipments of desktops, laptops and client fell 12% in the third quarter of 2022 compared to the same period last year.

Laptops saw the most significant decline, which Canalys attributed to “conservative business spending,” alongside a drop in consumer demand.

PC sales 2022

Fewer people are also looking to buy tablets, the report says, which may be partly due to soaring prices in recent months.

While Apple’s updated flagship 12.9-inch iPad Pro has remained unchanged at $1,099 in the US, other markets have seen significant cost increases with the introduction of the M2 model, with UK pricing. increased from £999 to £1,249.

“The previously resilient commercial segment has begun to weaken, recording its first year-over-year decline in 2022,” explains Brian Lynch, research analyst at Canalys.

Lynch continued: “Going forward, the US PC market will face further headwinds… Despite the Q4 holiday, the market will continue to decline.”

Apple shipped the most devices in the third quarter of 2022 in a long time, but Canalys research found that many of these devices include under-sales from previous quarters, combined with increased demand. specific requirements for newly launched high-end M2-enabled devices.

More than half of sales also come from iPads, helping Dell maintain its market leadership position with the largest share of desktops and laptops, followed by HP in third.

While the news looks bleak for traditional computing devices, it could be a sign of a change in trend towards more mobile devices. Amazon’s tablet sales grew 19.5% year-over-year, closing the gap between it and Apple, which is turning its attention away from low-cost models. TCL saw its tablet market share increase by 133.2%, selling around 600,000 units up from approximately 200,000.