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IDC: Mac shipments fell 11.3% in Q3, but Apple's PC share rose to 9.5%
Apple shipped about 5.9 million Macs as the worldwide PC market dropped 20.1%. Share climbed from 8.5% as Lenovo, HP, and Dell fell harder.
Apple's Mac shipments fell 11.3% in the third quarter of 2026, but the company still gained market share as the worldwide PC market contracted much more sharply, according to IDC's preliminary estimates.
IDC puts Apple at about 5.9 million Macs shipped between July and September, down from 6.7 million a year earlier. That lifted Apple's share of worldwide PC shipments to 9.5% from 8.5% in the year-ago quarter. Apple remained fourth in IDC's vendor rankings.
The broader market dropped 20.1% to 62.7 million units from 78.5 million. Shipments were also 9.1% below the second-quarter total, an unusual step down for a period that usually benefits from back-to-school demand. The slide followed a 3.8% year-over-year decline in the second quarter.
How the top vendors compared
| Vendor | Q3 2026 shipments | Share | YoY change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lenovo | 14.9 million | 23.8% | −22.6% |
| HP | 10.3 million | 16.5% | −30.9% |
| Dell | 7.6 million | 12.1% | −25.0% |
| Apple | 5.9 million |
Source: IDC Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker, preliminary figures reported October 8, 2026.
Lenovo, HP, and Dell each fell faster than the overall market. ASUS recorded the smallest percentage decline among the top five. Apple's unit drop was steeper than ASUS but far milder than the three largest Windows PC vendors, which is how its share moved up a full point.
Why Q3 was soft
IDC says vendors and channels bought inventory earlier in the year to limit exposure to rising memory costs, which pulled demand out of the third quarter. Combined with ongoing supply constraints tied to AI data-center component pressure, that left less reason to order fresh stock while sellers still held earlier purchases.
Higher prices are part of the same story. Apple raised Mac and iPad prices in June, and Tim Cook cited sharply rising memory expenses on the July earnings call. The same cost shock sits behind Nikkei's report that Apple cut iPhone 18 Pro component orders after softer-than-expected demand.
IDC expects some near-term promotions as channels work down inventory, but it does not expect prices to return to year-ago levels. A weaker economy could further dampen demand through the rest of 2026 and into 2027.
What comes next for Mac
Unit shipments and market share tell different stories this quarter: fewer Macs left Apple's warehouses, yet Mac took a larger slice of a shrinking PC pie. Readers watching the hardware calendar will also note Apple's rumored October 27 Mac refresh, which could reshape the fourth-quarter mix if OLED MacBook Pro and M6 models land as expected.
Apple's Mac unit shipments fell, but its PC market share rose. What matters more to you?
Share gain — Mac held up better than the PC market0 votes0%
Unit decline — fewer Macs shipped still hurts0 votes0%
Neither — I'm waiting for the October Mac refresh0 votes0%
I don't follow shipment numbers0 votes0%
0 votesPoll closed
Sources
- MacRumors, Hartley Charlton, "Mac Shipments Fall, But Apple Still Gains Ground in Shrinking Market," October 9, 2026
- 9to5Mac, Marcus Mendes, "IDC: Mac shipments drop 11% in Q3 as global PC market slides 20%," October 8, 2026
- AppleInsider, Mike Wuerthele, "There's a hidden upside to the rampocalypse for Apple," October 8, 2026
- InfotechLead, citing IDC Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker, October 8, 2026