Apple Inc replaced Taiwanese PC brand Asustek Computer Inc (華碩) as the fourth-largest notebook computer supplier in the world last year, according to market information advisory firm TrendForce Corp (集邦科技).
Apple saw its market share in the global notebook market rise to 9.6 percent from 8.3 percent in 2016, while Asustek’s market share fell to 9.5 percent from 10.3 percent, TrendForce said.
Worldwide notebook shipments were up 2.1 percent year-on-year to 164.7 million units last year, beating market expectations of a 0.7 percent rise because of solid demand in North America and regional economic recoveries, TrendForce said.
Apple had shipments of about 15.81 million units, up from 13.38 million in 2016, while Asustek’s shipments totaled 15.65 million units, down from 16.60 million a year earlier, TrendForce said.
The advisory firm said the fall in Asustek’s market share resulted from a strategy to cut the output of models that commanded lower profit margins.
Apple, on the other hand, benefited from the launch of an upgraded version of the MacBook Pro in the second quarter of last year to push up its shipments by more than 18 percent, it said.
Acer Inc (宏碁), another Taiwanese PC vendor, remained the sixth-largest notebook supplier in the world market with an 8.0 percent share, TrendForce said.
The company’s market share was down from 8.1 percent in 2016, even though its shipments rose 0.6 percent during the year, it said.
Acer maintained its position with the help of an increase in Chromebook shipments and gains in shipments to the North American market, the advisory firm said.
HP Inc of the US remained the largest notebook computer supplier in the world last year.
Its shipments were up 10.5 percent from a year earlier to about 40 million units, giving it a 24.3 percent market share, up from 22.4 percent in 2016, TrendForce said.
China’s Lenovo Group Ltd (聯想) came in second with a 20.2 percent share, which was down from 21.7 percent in 2016.
US-based Dell Inc was next with a 15.2 percent share, down slightly from 15.4 percent in 2016.
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