IPad domination: Apple continues to lead in mobile PC shipments

By Salvador Rodriguez

May 23, 2012 12 AM PT

Apple’s dominance of the mobile PC and tablet market continued through the first quarter of 2012, according to a new forecast report.

Apple towered over the tablet sector with the iPad while also keeping a strong hold at the top of mobile PC shipments, which include notebook PCs.

The iPad continues to be the most-sold tablet, accounting for nearly 63% of market share and seeing year-to-year growth of 162% for the first quarter, according to NPD DisplaySearch’s report.

Falling in line behind Apple’s 13.6 million shipped units was Samsung, which overtook No. 3 Amazon while RIM and ASUS came in fourth and fifth places, respectively. Notably missing from the top five was Barnes & Noble.

In total mobile PC shipments, which includes tablets as well as notebooks and mini-notebooks, Apple also led the way.

The Cupertino-based company held a market share of 22.5% that was nearly twice as large as its closest competitor, which was HP with an 11.6% share. In this arena, Apple shipped 17.2 million units, with the non-iPad units likely being MacBook Airs, although the report did not specify.

In the strictly notebook and mini-notebook PC sector, HP was in first place. HP shipped nearly 9 million units and had a market share of 16.2%. After it came Acer Group with 6.5 million shipped units and almost 12% market share.

Mobile PCs experienced 30% year-to-year growth, but that growth is mostly coming from tablets. Individually, tablets had 124% year-to-year growth, dwarfing that of notebooks and mini-notebooks, which was only 12%.

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