Mac market share up

Apple's market share in May -- particularly in the laptop space -- continued to grow, significantly outpacing the increases seen by others in industry. The Cupertino-based company saw its online and retail sales grow to 13 percent of the overall consumer market during May, up more than 12 percent from its 11.6 percent share in April. The company's notebook sales saw an even more impressive gain, rising to 14.3 percent from 12.5 percent in April, according to NPD data quoted by InformationWeek. The growth was driven by May updates to the consumer-oriented MacBook line, which received larger drives, faster processors, and more memory. However, the sales data were captured before Apple's introduction of the much-anticipated Santa Rosa upgrade to its professional MacBook Pro line in early June and its back-to-school/free iPod promo for education customers.

Apple's notebook sales growth was more than 65 percent from the previous year, while the industry grew by 40 percent. Windows-based notebooks grew by 37 percent, according to the data.

The same report also said that Apple's desktop sales grew slightly from 10.2 percent in April to 10.4 percent in May, despite an aging Mac mini and iMac line. Reports have already begun to point to a pending iMac refresh later this summer and the possible demise of the compact Mac mini line.

Apple's numbers are part of a growing trend over the past several months, according to the research company. "It's part of a pattern," Stephen Baker, VP of industry analysis for NPD, told InformationWeek. "[Apple] certainly has been gaining share over the last year to year and a half. The consumer market in general is embracing notebooks, and Apple is strong in notebooks."

Baker went on to say that while a halo effect from iPod sales certainly exists, the phenomenon is difficult to quantify.

by MacNN Staff