Apple Poised to Become World's Top-Selling PC Vendor with Tablets Included

white ipad 2 oblique
Research firm Canalys today noted that Apple appears set to become the world's largest PC manufacturer by volume if the iPad and other tablets are included in the figures. The company already ranks second behind HP by that measure, but Canalys is unsure whether Apple will take the lead in the fourth quarter of this year or if it will require a boost from the iPad 3 launch early next year in order to surpass HP.

“Apple has seen its PC market share expand from 9% to 15% in just four quarters, though iPad shipments in its core market – the United States – are likely to come under pressure in Q4 due to the launch of the Fire and Nook at extremely competitive price points,” said Canalys Analyst Tim Coulling. “HP and Apple will fight for top position in Q4, but Apple may have to wait for the release of iPad 3 before it passes HP.”

Apple already ranks as the #1 mobile PC vendor when the iPad is included, but HP's lead over Apple in desktop sales has been enough to hold off Apple in the overall market.

Apple's iPad actually carries a higher average selling price than Windows PCs, resulting in some comparisons between the two in consumers' minds when making purchasing decisions. Apple has acknowledged that the iPad is cannibalizing Mac sales to some extent, but notes that it is happy to make that tradeoff given that PC users in general are undoubtedly making similar decisions to opt for the iPad. Consequently, Apple's relatively small share of the PC market indicates that significantly more Windows PCs than Macs are being left on the shelves in favor of iPads.

Popular Stories

iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
duolingo ad live activity

Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines

Friday January 2, 2026 1:36 pm PST by
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines. According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option. Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
Clicks Communicator Feature

'Clicks Communicator' Unveiled — Will You Carry This With Your iPhone?

Friday January 2, 2026 6:35 am PST by
The company behind the BlackBerry-like Clicks Keyboard accessory for the iPhone today unveiled a new Android 16 smartphone called the Clicks Communicator. The purpose-built device is designed to be used as a second phone alongside your iPhone, with the intended focus being communication over content consumption. It runs a custom Android launcher that offers a curated selection of messaging...
Low Cost A18 Pro MacBook Feature Pink

Apple's 2026 Low-Cost A18 Pro MacBook: What We Know So Far

Friday January 2, 2026 4:33 pm PST by
Apple is planning to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, which will apparently compete with more affordable Chromebooks and Windows PCs. Apple's most affordable Mac right now is the $999 MacBook Air, and the upcoming low-cost MacBook is expected to be cheaper. Here's what we know about the low-cost MacBook so far. Size Rumors suggest the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 ...
Low Cost MacBook Feature A18 Pro

Low-Price 12.9-Inch MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Reportedly Launching Early This Year

Friday January 2, 2026 9:08 am PST by
Apple plans to introduce a 12.9-inch MacBook in spring 2026, according to TrendForce. In a press release this week, the Taiwanese research firm said this MacBook will be aimed at the entry-level to mid-range market, with "competitive pricing." TrendForce did not share any further details about this MacBook, but the information that it shared lines up with several rumors about a more...
Apple Fitness Plus hero

Apple Announces New Fitness+ Workout Programs, Strava Challenge, and More

Friday January 2, 2026 6:43 am PST by
Apple today announced a number of updates to Apple Fitness+ and activity with the Apple Watch. The key announcements include: New Year limited-edition award: Users can win the award by closing all three Activity Rings for seven days in a row in January. "Quit Quitting" Strava challenge: Available in Strava throughout January, users who log 12 workouts anytime in the month will win an ...
govee floor lamp

CES 2026: Govee Announces New Matter-Connected Ceiling and Floor Lights

Sunday January 4, 2026 5:00 am PST by
Govee today introduced three new HomeKit-compatible lighting products, including the Govee Floor Lamp 3, the Govee Ceiling Light Ultra, and the Govee Sky Ceiling Light. The Govee Floor Lamp 3 is the successor to the Floor Lamp 2, and it offers Matter integration with the option to connect to HomeKit. The Floor Lamp 3 offers an upgraded LuminBlend+ lighting system that can reproduce 281...
Belkin 25W Battery magnetic

CES 2026: Belkin Announces Magnetic Ring Power Bank, Modular Dock, and More

Sunday January 4, 2026 3:02 pm PST by
Belkin today announced a range of new charging and connectivity accessories at CES 2026, expanding its portfolio of products aimed at Apple device users. UltraCharge Pro Power Bank 10K with Magnetic Ring The lineup includes new Qi2 and Qi2.2 wireless chargers, magnetic power banks, a high-capacity laptop battery, and USB-C productivity accessories, with an emphasis on higher charging...

Top Rated Comments

Gasu E. Avatar
184 months ago
As much as I liked my xx, I certainly do not class it as a computer.

Said the IBM mainframe guy about the Apple II.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AdeFowler Avatar
184 months ago
Here come the "iPad's not a computer" arguments, in 3,2,1...
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
samcraig Avatar
184 months ago
Personally - these types of things don't matter to me or most consumers. Sure it's great marketing and PR - but at the end of the day - it's what tool is right for the job. If you're light on content creation - pads (whoever is making them) are great. But for workhorse type of things the offerings just aren't there yet and will no doubt take awhile.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
*LTD* Avatar
184 months ago
I can throw up my iphone onto as big a screen as I want via a hard wire connection or via airplay.

So is my phone now a computer by your definition?
It isn't my definition. Consumers and the industry are deciding the way forward.

Again, usability. Joe Average. How is Joe Average using it?

Folks are using tablets as computers - that's how they conceive of them. And they conceive of smartphones more as phones on steroids than "mini" computers.

You can slice and dice definitions until you're blue in the face. It won't matter. EVERYTHING is based on how the average market conceives of and uses these devices, regardless of their extra capabilities. That is how analyses like the one we're seeing are formulated. Trends in usage and market perception.

This requires thinking beyond the 5 feet of personal space that "I" and "me" occupy. Consider where the market is heading.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KnightWRX Avatar
184 months ago
As much as I liked my iPad, I certainly do not class it as a computer. The tablet market should be classed as something separate in my mind.
Hum... the tablet market is classed as the tablet market. The Tablet market is a market of computers, just in a tablet form factor.

This makes this article pure bunk and just a speculative, what if, piece. Tablet market is the tablet market, it's separate from the Desktop/laptop market which in turn is different from the Server market, which in turn is separate from the Mainframe market.

Doesn't change the fact that all of these are computers though.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
samcraig Avatar
184 months ago
It means you're wasting time looking for definitions.

Smartphones were probably not included because they aren't being used like the iPad, regardless of "capability." They have much smaller displays anyway. With the iPad, you're getting a big display, you just turn it on and you're up and running.

You're getting caught up in specs and definitions. I know people who don't use a computer at all and just use their iPhones. So for them - their iPhone is every bit a "PC"

See how that works.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)