US PC Sales Surge 17% YoY - Canalys Report

U.S. PC Sales Show Growth, Though Pace Slows

Canalys recently published its quarterly report on U.S. PC sales. While overall sales increased by 17% year-over-year (YoY), the rate of growth has decelerated compared to the previous quarter’s substantial 74% surge, which was largely driven by the pandemic.

The ongoing, globally reported chip shortage is potentially a contributing factor to this slowdown.

Market Share Breakdown

HP maintained its leading position for the second consecutive quarter, capturing 21.9% of the market. This represents a growth of over 20% compared to the previous year.

Apple held the second spot with a 20.6% market share. However, it's important to note that Apple experienced a decline in growth of -2.8% over the year.

Dell secured the third position with 15.6%, while Lenovo followed with 12.4%.

Samsung demonstrated the highest yearly growth rate, exceeding 50%, though this translated to a 6% market share.

Analyst Outlook

Brian Lynch, a research analyst at Canalys, expressed optimism regarding the continuation of pandemic-driven growth into 2021. He anticipates potential consumer upgrades as the economy recovers.

Lynch stated that the commercial and education sectors have seen significant expansion, creating substantial opportunities for hardware refreshes.

He further noted the resilience of the U.S. economy and the recovery of small businesses, predicting a subsequent increase in purchasing activity within this segment.

Sales Figures by Device Type

A total of 36.8 million units were sold, encompassing notebooks (up 27%), desktops (up 23%), and tablets (essentially stagnant, with a 1% decrease in growth).

Canalys attributes the tablet decline to a shift in the education market and reduced immediate demand following widespread purchases during pandemic lockdowns.

Tablet Market Leadership

Despite the overall stagnation, Apple continues to dominate the tablet market with a 45% share.

Amazon holds second place with 22%, followed by Samsung at 18%.

Future Prospects

Even with a potential return to in-person learning and work, many institutions and companies are expected to adopt hybrid or fully remote models.

This trend is anticipated to positively impact the PC industry, particularly once the chip shortage is resolved.

Continued remote and hybrid work arrangements should sustain demand for personal computers.