If you include the iPad as a PC, Canalys said that Apple is poised to surpass HP as the world’s largest computer maker by the end of 2012.
Some of you may think that it’s not fair to include the iPad in PC shipping numbers but for the casual audience, an iPad is probably more than enough for their computing needs. Apple has never really been worried about market share – it focuses on profits – but it will be interesting to see what happens when it’s the most popular PC and smartphone maker.
“Apple has seen its PC market share expand from 9% to 15% in just four quarters, though iPad shipments in its core market – the United States – are likely to come under pressure in Q4 due to the launch of the Fire and Nook at extremely competitive price points,” said Canalys Analyst Tim Coulling in a prepared statement. “HP and Apple will fight for top position in Q4, but Apple may have to wait for the release of iPad 3 before it passes HP.”
While it’s still a nascent market for tablets, I agree with Canalys when it says that the iPad has changed the dynamics in the computer industry. Many (including this author) saw the iPad as just a blown-up iPod touch that would be a fun toy for rich people but over the years, we’ve seen how powerful tablets can be in fields like education.
This is not some passing trend, as we’re seeing the tablet-ification of computing all over the place. Major computer makers like Asus, Samsung and Sony are hopping in the tablet game and trying to figure out what works. More importantly, Microsoft has built Windows 8 to be tablet-friendly, as it will work on ARM processors and its user interface and design seem perfectly suited for a large, touchscreen tablet display.
[Via Canalys]