The [url=http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=ftfLlWd9aZbF2NXfwppam3Bd664=&newsLang=en&newsId=20070117006123&div=-886116155]IDC research group[/url] reports similar figures, showing Apple's market share rising form 3.6 percent to 4.7 percent in the same time frame with sales going from 614,000 in the fourth quarter of 2005 to 808,000 in the fourth quarter of 2006. That's a growth rate of 31.8 percent, by IDC's specs.

Unfortunately, our favorite computer maker isn't top dog in the world. For the second consecutive quarter, Hewlett-Packard was the number one vendor based on worldwide personal computer shipments, and it finished 2006 tied with Dell as the leader of worldwide computer shipments, According to Gartner, worldwide computer unit shipments in the fourth quarter of 2006 grew 7.4 percent compared to a year ago. During the quarter, 67.3 million units were shipped.

In the fourth quarter of 2006, Hewlett-Packard’s worldwide computer shipments increased 23.9 percent, as its market share totaled 17.4 percent. Dell remained in the No. 2 position in the quarter, but its shipments decreased 8.7 percent, resulting in its market share total of 13.9 percent.

Gartner analysts said the overall market was impacted by stiff competition from the consumer electronics industry and the upcoming Vista launch (not that this affected Mac sales, of course).

"PC price erosion was a defining feature of the quarter," says Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst for Gartner Dataquest’s Client Computing Markets Group. "In the consumer market, the personal computer industry battled for wallet share against other consumer electronics products, such as games consoles and flat panel TVs, while at the same time cutting prices to ensure market demand did not stall prior to Microsoft’s Vista consumer launch in January."

Fourth quarter personal computer shipments in the U.S. decreased 3.2 percent. This was the second consecutive quarter that U.S. market showed a year-on-year decline, though Apple was an exception to the rule.

Gartner analysts said the weakness in the U.S. market was attributed largely to weaker than expected shipments into the home market. In the fourth quarter of 2006, home desk-based personal computer shipments declined more than 20 percent from the fourth quarter of 2005 while mobile computer shipments increased more than 20 percent.

Dell maintained the numero uno position in the U.S. personal computer market in the fourth quarter of 2006, but its PC shipments declined 17.3 percent, equivalent to a market share of 29.1 percent. HP’s shipments increased 16 percent giving it a 25.3 percent unit market in the fourth quarter.

"Dell’s market share was its lowest in four years. It lost market share across all segments in the U.S., particularly the home market,” Kitagawa says. "The fourth quarter’s consumer bias favors HP, however Dell’s accelerated shipment decline in the fourth quarter is surprising."

Worldwide computer shipments totaled 239 million units in 2006, a 9.5 percent increase from 2005. The Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region continued to be the largest computer region during the year. Asia/Pacific and Latin America also well exceeded the worldwide industry growth average. U.S. computer shipments were well below the worldwide average to show the clear evidence of market saturation.

Dell and HP shared the number one position in 2006, as both vendors had worldwide PC shipment market share totals of 15.9 percent. Toshiba moved into the worldwide top five table, surpassing Fujitsu/Fujitsu Siemens.

For 2006, U.S. computer shipments totaled 61.1 million units, a 1.2 percent increase from 2005. Computer shipments in EMEA totaled 80.3 million units in 2006, a 10.8 percent increase from 2005. The region ended the year with a strong fourth quarter, as shipments totaled 25.7 million units, an 11.9 percent increase from the fourth quarter of 2005. In the fourth quarter of 2006, the EMEA PC market suffered from weaker demand in Western Europe, in particular from Germany and the Nordic countries. The impending arrival of Vista seemed to have little effect on consumer demand, except to keep prices lower; consumers continued to purchase computers at the entry level price points.

In Asia/Pacific, computer shipments reached 59.9 million units in 2006, a 17.2 percent increase from 2005. In the fourth quarter, PC shipments reached 15.7 million units, a 13.3 percent increase. In the fourth quarter demand was primarily soft as buyers were prepared to wait one more month for computers installed with Vista. Consumers were also distracted by aggressive prices of LCD TVs.

The Latin America computer market had a strong year with shipment growth of 24.7 percent in 2006, with shipments totaling 18.6 million units. In the fourth quarter, shipments exceeded 5.4 million units, a 22 percent increase from the fourth quarter of 2005. The fourth quarter was dominated by the consumer market due to the holiday season, and the end-of-year “budget cleaning” by some enterprises and a few government offices.

In Japan, computer shipments totaled 14.2 million units in 2006, a 3.3 percent decline from 2005. The Japan market experienced a difficult fourth quarter, as shipments approached three million units, a 12.6 percent decline from the fourth quarter of 2005. Both the professional and private market showed negative year-over-year growth in the fourth quarter.

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