Mac Shipments Reportedly Drop 40% YoY in Q1 2023

Apple saw a drop in shipments of its Macs during the first quarter of 2023, according to analysts. It’s reported by IDC (via 9to5Mac) that MacBook shipments fell approximately 40 percent during Q1.

It’s believed that between January and March 2023, Apple experienced a shift in demand within the personal computer market. According to the analyst report, Apple saw the largest decline in shipments, resulting in 40 percent as the overall market experienced a decrease of 29 percent.

Apparently, the year-over-year (YoY) decrease results in Apple ranking fourth place in the market. Apple is said to have shipped 4.1 million MacBook units throughout the quarter. By comparison, Lenovo ranks number one and is said to have shipped 12.7 million units. HP and Dell ranked second and third with 12 million and 9.5 million units shipped respectively.

IDC claims Apple’s decline is a result of COVID-driven demand. However, analysts do believe that they are experiencing a “temporary return to pre-COVID patterns” within the overall market at the very least. However, the report goes on to claim that by 2024 demand will likely increase. IDC believes refreshes and upgrades to existing devices will drive demand, especially if the economy trends upward following the recession. However, recovery could be stifled depending on how long the recession is dragged out.

Something else to keep in mind in regard to Apple is the fanfare and demand for its M2 devices compared to the breakthrough that was the M1 series. The predecessor to Apple’s flagship MacBook chip surprised the industry in many ways and drew many users in at launch. However, this year’s M2 anecdotally didn’t have the same effect.

We’ll likely have a better picture when Apple reports its first-quarter results during its earnings call in May.