Research firm IDC has released their latest report on the “smart connected device” market, which includes worldwide shipments of desktop PCs, notebook PCs, smartphones, and tablets. The report shows Apple significantly closing the gap on Samsung during the last quarter of the year, jumping from 15.1% in Q3 to 20.3% of unit shipments in Q4 2012.
Looking specifically at the results for the fourth quarter of 2012 (4Q12), combined shipments of desktop PCs, notebook PCs, tablets, and smartphones was nearly 378 million and revenues were more than $168 billion. In terms of market share, Apple significantly closed the gap with market leader Samsung in the quarter, as the combination of Apple’s iPhone 5 and iPad Mini brought Apple up to 20.3% unit shipment share versus 21.2% for Samsung.
Market leader Samsung dropped slightly from 21.8% to 21.2% in the fourth quarter.
To no one’s surprise, Apple took the crown for revenue share, grabbing 30.7% of the market compared to just 20.4% for Samsung by revenue.
Apple’s growth was most likely driven by sales of the iPad and iPad mini. IDC reports that growth in the market was driven mostly by a 78.4% year-over-year growth in tablet shipments. IDC expects tablet shipments to outpace desktop PCs by the end of 2013, and to overtake portable PC shipments in 2014.
