Apple and HP suffer a major decline in global PC shipments in Q2 2022: Report – Times of India

As per the latest report from Counterpoint, the global PC shipments fell 11.1 per cent year-on-year in Q2 2022, the largest year-on-year decline since 2013. The shipments dipped to 71.2 million units, and the reason behind this decline is strict lockdowns in Shanghai and Kunshan – two of the crucial regions to the supply chain located in China. Despite a decrease in shipments, Lenovo retained its leadership in the segment while Apple and HP suffered major decline in Q2 this year.
William Li, a research analyst at Counterpoint, says, “The macroeconomic turbulence continues to impact worldwide consumption momentum. Regional conflicts, as well as global inflation, have resulted in a downward sloping demand and consumer spending. Enterprises too are putting off their new purchases and device upgrades, though the orders from the commercial segment have remained more solid compared to the consumer segment.”
Europe and the US saw double-digit year-on-year declines. This steep shipment decline is due to the weaker demand for Chromebooks and other consumer products.
Lenovo maintains its top position in the global PC market
Lenovo managed to capture a 24.4 per cent market share in Q2 2022, continuing its leadership even this year. However, the company witnessed a 12.2 per cent decline with 17.4 million units shipped worldwide.
HP saw the biggest decline in Q2 2022
HP, which came in second place, suffered the most, with a 27 per cent year-on-year decline. The research firm says that the decline was mainly due to the weaker demand for consumer products and Chromebooks. Dell suffered the least with only a 5 per cent decline in shipments due to its commercial and premium device catalogue.
Acer witnessed a 14.8 per cent year-on-year decline, coming in at the fourth position. Despite lower demand for Chromebooks, Acer’s exposure to entry-level and mainstream laptops helped the company gain its position in the global PC market in Q2 2022.
Apple took a big hit due to supply chain issues in China
Apple reported the second highest decline of 20 per cent year-on-year in Q2, mainly due to the supply chain disruption at Quanta because of the strict lockdowns in China. However, customers waiting for the newer M2-powered MacBook Air and Pro also affected the sales of M1-powered MacBooks, making the Cupertino giant drop to the fifth position. However, the new M2 MacBooks could help Apple rise in the year’s second half.
Asus, sharing the fifth position with Apple in Q2, saw a 7.7 per cent decline in shipments in Q2. The company’s commercial offerings in the last few quarters helped it ship 4.7 million units in Q2 2022.
Counterpoint suggests that the supply chain issues will improve by the second half of the year. However, the weaker consumer demand is something companies must be wary about. The research firm anticipates that due to weaker demand, inventories will rise, but shipment decline may continue. Counterpoint has revised its 2022 shipment forecast to a 9 per cent year-on-year decline.