The PC market collapsed in the third quarter – and this time even Apple couldn't escape it. According to IDC, Apple shipped significantly fewer Macs than in the previous year. Nevertheless, the company ultimately fared better than almost all of its competitors.
According to preliminary figures from market researchers at IDC, 62.7 million PCs were shipped worldwide in the third quarter of 2026, 20.1 percent fewer than in the previous year. Apple shipped 5.9 million Macs, down from 6.7 million a year earlier, a decrease of 11.3 percent.
This changes the picture: In the second quarter, according to IDC, Apple had still grown against the trend. Because the overall market is now shrinking almost twice as much, Apple's market share nevertheless rises to 9.5 percent.
Key Facts at a Glance
- According to IDC, the global PC market shrank by 20.1 percent to 62.7 million units in the third quarter.
- Apple ships 5.9 million Macs, 11.3 percent fewer than last year.
- Apple's share nevertheless increases from 8.5 to 9.5 percent, remaining in fourth place.
- IDC cites reasons such as preemptive inventory purchases ahead of price increases, supply bottlenecks, and a weaker economy.
Five manufacturers, five declines
No manufacturer in the top 5 managed to gain ground. HP suffered the biggest loss with almost 31 percent, while ASUS saw the smallest decline at 8.6 percent. Apple came in second with a drop of 11.3 percent.
| Manufacturer | Q3 2026 (million) | Portion | Q3 2025 (million) | Portion | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lenovo | 14,9 | 23,8 % | 19,3 | 24,6 % | -22.6 % |
| HP | 10,3 | 16,5 % | 15,0 | 19,1 % | -30.9 % |
| Dell | 7,6 | 12,1 % | 10,1 | 12,9 % | -25.0 % |
| Apple | 5,9 | 9,5 % | 6,7 | 8,5 % | -11.3 % |
| ASUS | 5,5 | 8,7 % | 6,0 | 7,6 % | -8.6 % |
| Other | 18,4 | 29,4 % | 21,4 | 27,3 % | -14.0 % |
| In total | 62,7 | 100 % | 78,5 | 100 % | -20.1 % |
Lenovo, HP, and Dell together lost 4.2 percentage points of market share, while Apple gained one percentage point. Desktops, notebooks, and workstations are counted; tablets are not included – the iPad is therefore not represented in these figures.
From growth to losses
In the second quarter, IDC reported 6.7 million Macs sold by Apple, representing a 10.1 percent increase. Compared to that figure, the 5.9 million sold this quarter is a decline of approximately 12 percent within a single quarter, even though the third quarter is typically stronger than the second.
IDC has revised its overall market figures for the second quarter. In July, the decline was reported as 4.9 percent, but the new report cites 3.8 percent. Compared to the second quarter, the market fell by 9.1 percent, according to IDC.
Pre-purchases and scarce devices
IDC attributes the slump primarily to the first half of the year: Manufacturers and retailers had purchased goods in advance to anticipate price increases, and this demand was now lacking in the third quarter. Added to this were supply bottlenecks, high prices due to the expansion of AI data centers, and a weaker economy.
This aligns with what Apple itself had announced. In its third-quarter earnings call, Apple anticipated significantly more severe supply shortages for iPhones, Macs, and iPads in the current quarter. This quarter coincides with the third calendar quarter; Apple will release its own figures on November 2nd.
A minus sign that is smaller than the rest
I interpret the figures less as a Mac crisis and more as a supply problem. Apple is losing unit sales, but significantly less than Lenovo, HP, and Dell, and is gaining market share. Companies struggling with shortages can sell less without causing a collapse in demand – the quarterly results on November 2nd will show whether Apple can offset this in terms of revenue.
For buyers in this country, the outlook is mixed. Apple already raised Mac prices at the end of June, and IDC expects prices to remain significantly above last year's levels. However, IDC anticipates short-term discounts due to high retail inventory. I expect this to affect Windows notebooks more than Macs, for which Apple itself anticipates shortages.
Are you buying a new computer now despite the high prices, or are you waiting for discounts and the new Macs at the end of October? Let us know your plan in the comments.
