According to Canalys HP takes back the lead in the WW Q1 2012 client PC market, following its getting beaten by Apple (mainly thanks iPad shipments) in Q4 2011.
One has to keep in mind Canalys counts tablet shipments in its PC shipment totals, while other industry analysts (including Gartner and IDC) do not.
The analyst says HP has a close lead on the Q1 2012 market, outshipping Apple by around 40000 units. Apple shipments for the quarter reach 15.8m, 11.8m of which being iPads.
Canalys reports EMEA PC shipments show 19% Y-o-Y growth. Total WW Q1 2012 PC shipments reach 107m units with 21% Y-o-Y growth.
Predictably, the tablet segment shows the highest growth (200% Y-o-Y), while notebooks and desktops grow by 11% and 8% Y-o-Y respectively. Meanwhile notebooks are down by -34% Y-o-Y-- the 6th consecutive fall, Canalys says.
Tablets make 19% of global Q1 2012 PC shipments, down from 22% in Q1 2011. Netbooks total 5% (down from Q1 2010 high of 13%), and notebooks represent around 50% of the overall market.
Despite positive signs, Canalys still warns of uncertainty for 2012-- Q2 will be a soft quarter, with notebook ODMs reporting shipment declines in April. Matters should improve by Q3, as the channel sells out older products and vendors refresh portfolios with Intel Ivy Bridge-based products.
The big transition should happen by Q4, with launch of the Windows 8 and more affordable ultrabook models.