Global PC Shipments Decline 20.1% in Q3 2026; Apple's Market Share Increases

Significant Decline in Global PC Market

The global personal computer market experienced a substantial downturn in the third quarter of 2026. According to preliminary data from IDC, worldwide PC shipments totaled 62.7 million units, marking a 20.1% decrease compared to the same period in 2025. This also represents a 9.1% drop from the second quarter of 2026.

Factors Contributing to the Decline

IDC attributes the significant decline in PC shipments to ongoing supply issues and elevated prices. These factors have suppressed consumer demand and led to concerns among channels about carrying excess inventory. The market had previously seen its first decline in nine quarters during July 2026, with forecasts for the entire year also being cut.

Apple's Performance Amidst Market Contraction

Despite the overall market challenges, Apple's Mac shipments also saw a decrease, falling 11.3% year-over-year to 5.9 million units in Q3 2026, down from 6.7 million in the prior year. However, because the broader PC market declined more sharply, Apple's share of worldwide PC shipments increased from 8.5% to 9.5%.

This performance allowed Apple to maintain its position as the fourth-largest PC vendor globally. Lenovo led the market with 14.9 million shipments and a 23.8% share, followed by HP with 10.3 million shipments (16.5% share), and Dell with 7.6 million shipments (12.1% share). HP recorded the steepest decline among the top five vendors, with shipments falling 30.9%.

Market Outlook

The current market conditions suggest that prices will remain elevated, despite potential short-term promotions to address inventory concerns. With worsening macroeconomic conditions, the outlook for the PC market in the coming quarters is anticipated to decline further before any potential recovery.