Apple Mac sales are plummeting: what is the reason for the sharp decline

Apple is preparing to launch a new generation of Apple Mac computers powered by M4 processors. Meanwhile, the demand for older models has fallen sharply.

According to iTechUA, citing statistics from Canalys, sales have decreased by 17.5% compared to a year ago. And this is despite the fact that the computer market as a whole showed an increase of 1.3% for the year, and demand is expected to grow during the holidays.

The reason for such a slump in Apple Mac sales is the upcoming arrival of new models. Buyers are in no hurry to upgrade their equipment before the release of more powerful computers. In addition, Canalys chief analyst Ishan Dutt explains the growth of the Windows PC market by the fact that companies have started to upgrade to Windows 11 to avoid paying for the extension of support. This fee will come into effect in October 2025.

In absolute terms, according to Canalys, Mac sales fell to 5.1 million in the third quarter of 2024. A year earlier, this figure was 6.2 million. As a result, Apple lost 1.8% of its market share and moved from fourth to fifth place among the leading computer manufacturers, losing ground to Asus. It is important to keep in mind that the American company is not involved in all market segments where its competitors are present.

Analysts point out that modern Windows laptops are a strong competitor to Apple devices, particularly when it comes to performance and battery life. Besides, Windows was the first to use AI, although the influence of this factor is considered insignificant.

Currently, Lenovo continues to hold the leading position in the computer market. Almost every fourth machine bought in the world was produced by this brand. HP takes the second position. In addition to Apple and Asus, the top five also includes Dell.

As for M4 chips, their upcoming release remains the last major event of the year in this market. New chips and devices were previously presented by Microsoft, Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm. Apple will also soon officially unveil the macOS Sequoia operating system. It should bring Apple Intelligence AI technologies to Macs, although some features will not be available at first.

Also, analysts expect that the Cupertino-based tech giant will not present an updated line of its most popular MacBook Air laptops in the near future. Instead, it is expected that M4 will appear as part of iMac, Mac mini and MacBook Pro.

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