Market research firm Canalys has forecast a sharp drop in PC and tablet sales in 2020 due to the economic recession brought on by the global health crisis.
PC shipments fell by approximately 9 percent in the first quarter, and Canalys predicts a marginal recovery in the second and third quarters, with shipments projected to be down year on year.
According to the report, PC and tablet shipments are expected to reach 367.8 million units by the end of this year, down 7 percent from 395.6 million units in 2019. Apple in particular could see lower shipments of iPads if consumers consider them "non-esential" purchases.
If the economy does not show major signs of recovery by Q4, Canalys expects that consumers will move away from discretionary spending on non-essential devices, such as Apple tablets, at the end of the year. We expect the recovery in the US to be delayed until 2022, when the market will grow 4% year on year.
The report follows data shared by Gartner on Monday indicating iPhone sales dropped eight percent in the first quarter of 2020, although other smartphone manufacturers saw much steeper drops in sales.
Monday November 2, 2026 1:22 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple is releasing five new products this Friday, November 6, following pre-orders that opened last week, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models.
The following new products will be available from Friday:
iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip
iMac with M6 chip
14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip
14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen
16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED...
Friday October 30, 2026 3:20 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
In a memo shared with Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers this week, and later obtained by MacRumors, Apple provided technicians with guidance on how to diagnose and address the iPhone Duo's inner display cracking issue.
If a customer reports the issue, Apple advised technicians to inspect the iPhone Duo and repair or replace it in accordance with their standard procedures....
Monday November 2, 2026 7:27 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple's busiest season isn't over yet. Far from it. With two hardware launch dates still to come in November, plus software updates and new smart home accessories running into December, there's more on the way from Apple before the end of 2026, so be sure to stick around.
Below, we've rounded up what's still coming, along with one date in particular that's worth watching if you're a holiday...
iPad has been a key item for remote education during this lockdown. My understanding is that Apple struggled to keep up with iPad orders, and not only for supply chain problems, but for a genuine spike in demand. Anecdotally, my mother’s base iPad took more than a month to arrive.
Same happened with PCs and webcams: everything was sold out here in Italy.