Apple shipped approximately 6.2 million Macs in the first quarter of 2026 – a 9 percent increase compared to the previous year. This means Apple is growing significantly faster than the overall PC market, which only increased by 2.5 percent.
The Mac has had a strong first quarter. According to estimates from market research firm IDC, Apple increased its PC shipments by 9 percent compared to the same period last year – from 5.7 to 6.2 million units. This means Apple is growing more than three times faster than the overall PC market and is further expanding its market share.
The growth is likely primarily attributable to the M5 MacBook Pro, which was released at the end of 2025 and saw its full sales impact in the first quarter of 2026. The recently updated MacBook Air models and the higher-end MacBook Pro variants were also updated and likely had only a minor impact on the Q1 figures. The MacBook Neo, which has proven to be a surprise success and reportedly even exceeds Apple's chip inventory, could provide an additional boost to growth in the coming quarters.
Apple ranks fourth worldwide
In the global PC ranking, Apple holds fourth place with 6.2 million units shipped. Lenovo leads the list with 16.5 million units, followed by HP with 12.1 million and Dell with 10.3 million. Most manufacturers recorded growth in the quarter – with the exception of HP, which experienced declines.
Apple's market share rose year-on-year from 8.9 to 9.5 percent. That sounds like a small jump, but it's remarkable in a market that grew by only 2.5 percent overall. So Apple is gaining ground not only in absolute terms, but also relatively.
Market challenges
According to IDC, quarterly growth in the PC market was partly driven by concerns about rising component costs and new product launches. Manufacturers who can secure access to memory are likely to perform best in the coming quarters, as the availability of memory chips becomes a bottleneck.
IDC's figures include traditional PCs such as desktops, notebooks, and workstations – tablets like the iPad are not included. The data is based on estimates, as Apple has not published specific unit sales figures in its quarterly reports for several years.
Outlook on the Earnings Report
Apple's next quarterly report is scheduled for April 30th. It will reveal how Mac sales are impacting revenue – and whether the MacBook Neo has already made a measurable contribution. Given the strong IDC figures and high demand for the MacBook Neo, expectations for Mac revenue are likely to be correspondingly high. (Image: Shutterstock / mymy87)
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