The US PC market is showing signs of life, with analysts at Canalys predicting 5% growth in shipments for the first quarter of 2024, with the Mac’s numbers being even higher.
This growth is mostly driven by good performance in the consumer and small and medium business (SMB) segments, both of which saw over 9% year-on-year growth.
But it seems this is just the beginning. Canalys expects PC market growth to accelerate to 8% in 2025 due to two key factors.
- First, the upcoming end of Microsoft’s support for Windows 10 by October 2025 is expected to start a wave of enterprise upgrades to newer PCs. Businesses will need to replace or update their existing machines to maintain compatibility with software and security updates.
- Second, the rise of AI is creating a demand for more powerful computers. Both Windows PCs and Apple Silicon Macs with on-device AI capabilities are expected to be popular choices for consumers and businesses alike.
The US is predicted to be a leader in adopting these next-generation PCs as vendors increase efforts to capitalize on this golden opportunity.
Meanwhile, Apple’s Mac market share is surging. The company saw a 22.4% growth compared to the overall PC market’s 5% increase. This jump could be attributed to the launch of the new M3-powered MacBook Air models in March.
Apple’s dominance might continue as they prepare to launch new intelligence features like Apple Intelligence and ChatGPT integration in the new Siri 2.0 for Macs later this year with macOS 15. These features will require users to have an Apple Silicon Mac, a big upgrade wave from those still using Intel-based machines.
More here.