Apple Retains Fourth Place for Q3 Notebook PC Shipments, Industry Growth Limited by Supply Constraints

Apple retained its position as the fourth-largest global notebook PC vendor in the third quarter of 2020, shipping six million units in total, according to a new report by Strategy Analytics.

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Apple shipped 1.7 million more notebook PC units in the third quarter of this year compared to last year, achieving growth of 39 percent. This is in line with significant increases across the industry, which has seen an average 34 percent growth. HP surpassed Lenovo for the first time in years by a slim margin to regain leadership in the notebook PC market. Dell kept its position as the third-largest notebook PC vendor, followed by Apple.

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The market saw 34 percent year-on-year shipment growth as a whole, and was actually constrained by limited supply in the face of record demand.

"The third quarter would have been even more productive for some vendors if they were able to deliver more devices to meet high demand. Supply will remain a key concern as demand is expected to stay high... consumers have started their purchases before the holiday season to prepare for the new 'normal' of working and studying from home," Strategy Analytics Senior Research Analyst Chirag Upadhyay said.

Apple has been contending with higher than expected demand and a range of component shortages. As a result, the company is now facing supply constraints across multiple devices, leading to long wait times for orders. At the end of last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook told investors that the company is "working really, really hard" to remedy the ongoing supply issues. Going into the fourth quarter, vendors' ability to meet increasing demand will reportedly be a key factor in the extent of growth.

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Top Rated Comments

Spock Avatar
61 months ago
If the Apple silicon transition eventually leads to lower prices, these numbers will skyrocket. I don’t think we will ever see a MacBook as cheap as something like the entry level iPad but if a MacBook could have a new starting price point of $699 or $799 it would be a game changer.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thebeans Avatar
61 months ago

Will soon be at the top spot.

It’s iPhone vs. Nokia in 2007 all over again.
Hahaha. Nope. I love Apple. Have iPhones, iPads, a desktop and a MacBook in our house. But Apple will NEVER be at the top of this list. They are simply too expensive to ever be #1
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djcerla Avatar
61 months ago
Will soon be at the top spot.

It’s iPhone vs. Nokia in 2007 all over again.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lkrupp Avatar
61 months ago

It’s amazing that to this day and age companies are still facing supply constraints. It’s the 21st century!
What rock have you been living under? Ever hear of the global pandemic that has shut down factories all over the world.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The_Interloper Avatar
61 months ago

Will soon be at the top spot.

Soon to be #1.
Not at Apple prices they won't.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
61 months ago
Soon to be #1.

Welcome to Arm Based ?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)