While PC sales aren’t doing as well as many would like, Canalys notes that global PC shipments rose 12 percent year-over-year in the second quarter, thanks in large part to the new iPad (which they categorize as a PC).
Growth in pads more than compensated for disappointing sales of Ultrabooks. The new iPad had the biggest single impact on growth rates in the quarter, but Asus and Samsung made progress with their Transformer and Galaxy Tab product lines. Total pad shipments increased 75% to 24 million units, representing 22% of all PCs.
Tom Evans, Canalys Research Analyst, says the poor economic conditions and buyers waiting for Windows 8 don’t tell the whole story. Evans reports that the PC industry is performing well, and that 2012 is shaping up to be a record year.
Apple took the overall lead in the quarter with an estimated 19% share of worldwide PC shipments, helped by strong iPad sales. A large base of replacement buyers that want the latest Apple product, and making the iPad 2 available at a lower price has opened up new customer markets, such as education, are two advantages that have helped Apple in the market.
Samsung came in as the leading Android tablet vendor, more than doubling its Galaxy Tab shipments compared to one year ago. Asus made the biggest gains this quarter however, and is now the third largest tablet vendor globally.
