Mac sales dip, Dell dives…
Ah, Spring is in the air. Aside from the calendar how can we tell? Well, the analysts are out in full force speculating and gesticulating authoritatively about how well, or not so well, the big players in the computer business did in the first quarter of 2009.
Quoting IDC data and analysis, MarketWatch reports that global personal computer shipments fell more than 7 percent in the first quarter, though the CEO of at least one industry stalwart thinks the darkest days may have already passed. Unexpectedly, U.S. sales only fell 3 percent.
“I believe the worst is now behind us from an inventory correction and demand level adjustment perspective,” says Intel Chief Executive Paul Otellini. “We saw order patterns strengthen throughout the quarter.”
Thereupon, demand for virtually marginless $300 netbooks remained strong, though Intel has said it has some excess Atom processors to sell off. Further, although our favorite fruit company saw Mac unit sales slip, the Cupertino, CA-based computer and widget maker enjoyed relatively stable market share year-over-year, even without a netbook in its catalog, holding onto the number four spot in the US.
Further, Gartner believes that Apple shipped only 1.14 million in Q1, marking the first year-over-year quarterly decline for the company in several years.
Sheared, shaved and shorn
The apparent big loser in the first three months of 2009, and it couldn’t happen to a nicer company, was Dell, which has been hammered by a poor product mix (ie limited netbook appeal) and dwindling corporate desktop sales. This toxic brew slashed more than 4 percent from the PC maker’s market share (y-o-y), nearly all of which was a absorbed by HP.
“A weak commercial market resulted in faster declines in desktops while [Dell's] portable sales struggled to address competition and the shift to low-priced consumer systems”—IDC.
Salt in the wound? HP knocked Dell out of the number spot in the US market. Acer, riding the netbook fad for all its worth, picked up some share and rose in position (number 3).
Of course, IDC’s data and analysis are mere speculation, however well informed, until the players themselves announce results over the coming weeks. Thereupon, Apple will hold its regularly quarterly analyst conference call on April 22.
Stay tuned…
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