Gartner: PC shipments grew 1.4% last quarter, Macs up 3%

IDC, true to form, sees it differently.

From Gartner Says Worldwide PC Shipments Grew For the First Time in Six Years 

“PC shipment growth in the second quarter of 2018 was driven by demand in the business market, which was offset by declining shipments in the consumer segment,” said Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner. “In the consumer space, the fundamental market structure, due to changes on PC user behavior, still remains, and continues to impact market growth. Consumers are using their smartphones for even more daily tasks, such as checking social media, calendaring, banking and shopping, which is reducing the need for a consumer PC.

“In the business segment, PC momentum will weaken in two years when the replacement peak for Windows 10 passes. PC vendors should look for ways to maintain growth in the business market as the Windows 10 upgrade cycle tails off.”

Below: Gartner’s spreadsheets. Click to enlarge.

My take: Apple is lucky Mac sales grew at all last quarter. Going forward, I’m ready to replace my aging MacBook Air and I suspect I’m not alone. Finger crossed for an Apple laptop that suits my needs.

UPDATE: IDC’s PC numbers for calendar Q2 just came in and, as usual, they are not the same as Gartner’s. IDC saw 2.7% year over year PC growth overall, with Mac sales down 0.8%.