Apple Drives Value-for-Money Notebook Sales, Surpasses PC Market Growth in 2Q

Amid global PC market contraction driven by rising memory semiconductor costs, Apple achieved double-digit growth by emphasizing cost-performance notebooks. According to market research firm Omdia, global desktop and notebook shipments in Q2 totaled 65.67 million units, down 3.6% year-over-year. Memory price spikes pressured manufacturing costs, with desktop shipments declining 1.3% and notebooks falling 4.2%. Apple, ranked fourth, was the only major PC vendor to grow, shipping 7.25 million units (up 15.9% YoY) and capturing 11.1% market share. Competitors saw declines: Lenovo (down 2.1%), HP (9%), Dell (4.9%), and ASUS (0.9%). Analysts attribute Apple's growth to the successful launch of the budget-friendly MacBook Neo, priced at $599, which sold out within two weeks. However, concerns remain about sustaining this momentum as Apple raised the Neo's price by $100 after three months to combat rising memory costs. Omdia forecasts continued PC market stagnation, citing escalating costs for components like PCBs and MLCCs, which may lead to higher consumer prices and demand suppression. Industry experts note Apple's pricing strategy absorbed value-for-money demand in Q2 but warn cost pressures will intensify competitive cost-cutting efforts in the second half.