Apple drops to 5th position in US computer sales

According to an article by Electronista, Apple has dropped to 5th in US computer sales, citing early reports by IDC.

Apple has shipped 12.4% fewer computers than it did last year, falling to 1.21 million Macs. Its market share will remain the same at 7.6% but will have been eclipsed by Toshiba, which could jump to ship 7.7% of PCs in the US.

The only other firm to lose market share is Dell. If this is correct, it will still have the most US market share at 26.3% but will have shipped 18.9% fewer PCs than it did in spring 2008 and would have shipped just 40,000 more computers than HP at 4.17 million.

In terms of growth. HP's growth is poised to remain flat at 2.3%, but the lack of change was enough for Dell to regain the lead it had lost winter of last year. Acer will have grown the quickest, jumping 51% to reach 2.01 million PCs shipped and 12.6% of the US market.

Overall, the US's computer business shrunk 3% compared to last year. This is less than predicted by the IDC.

In terms of the worldwide market, HP still has the lead, shipping 13.1 million PCs and earning 19.8% of the market, where Dell will have shipped 9.11 million PCs and have 13.7% of the market. Acer, Lenovo and Toshiba will maintain their third, fourth and fifth places with 12.7%, 8.7% and 5.3% respectively.