Recent research conducted by Counterpoint shows global PC shipments declined by 4.3% in the first quarter of 2022.
Apple and Dell are the only two PC vendors whose global shipments increased in the first quarter of 2022. Apple's own Mac sales in the first quarter increased by 14.3%.
Counterpoint expects Apple Mac shipments to grow 8% in Q1 2022 to 7.1 million units. Dell shipments grew 1% over the period to 13.8 million. HP's shipments fell 16 percent to 15.9 million units, while Lenovo's shipments fell 9.5 percent to 18.2 million units.
Overall, Counterpoint expects global PC shipments to fall 4.3% to a total of 78.7 million units.
Lenovo is still the market leader, followed by HP, Dell, and Apple. Apple's sales were driven by the success of its M1 Mac.
IDC earlier this month forecast PC shipments to fall 5.1% in Q1 2022 to 80.5 million units. The main drivers of the decline were supply constraints and silicon shortages, but also weaker demand from consumers and a saturated education market while buying from businesses remained strong.
Microsoft reports Q3 Windows OEM revenue rose 11%, but expects it to grow in low-to-mid-single digits next quarter, despite insisting that Windows PCs have never been more relevant.
Counterpoint researcher William Li reckons component shortages will ease in the second half of 2022. According to him, entering 2022, PC supply chains will experience reduced component shortages and logistics problems compared to the second half of 2021.
"The backlog of orders from 2021 continues to contribute greatly to PC shipments in early 2022. This supports our earlier view of another PC shipment in 2022," Li said as quoted by ZDnet.
“Our examination shows that the PC supply chain has become relatively conservative on the delivery outlook in mid-Q1 2022, dragged in large part by global inflation and regional conflicts, which have brought uncertainty to PC demand and clouded overall PC shipment momentum going forward. 2022 is forecast to be lower. from our estimates made at the end of 2021," he added.