Apple has overtaken HP because the largest provider of PCs within the international market, consistent with new figures from analyst firm Canalys.

Apple shipped over fifteen million iPads and 5 million Macs within the fourth quarter of 2011, representing seventeen %of the whole a hundred and twenty million PCs shipped globally during this amount. Apple additionally grew its market share by six % year-on-year.

Counting desktops, notebooks, netbooks and tablets, the laptop market grew sixteen % year-on-year, Canalys said, though if tablets are excluded, it declined by zero.4 percent.

Tablets accounted for twenty two % of total laptop shipments throughout this autumn 2011, said Canalys. Amazon’s Kindle fireplace and therefore the Nook pill by Barnes and Noblesold strongly within the US market, though Apple’sspectacular sales figures for the quarter provided the most impetus.

Lenovo was the sole different high 5 vendor apart from Apple to extend its market share, with HP, Dell and Acer all seeing their share of the market decline.

“Currently, HP is pursuing a Windows strategy for its pad portfolio, manufacturing enterprise-focused product, like the recently launched Slate two, till the launch of Windows eight,” said Canalys analyst Tim Coulling.

“However, queries stay over Microsoft’s entry into the buyer pad house. whereas early demonstrations of the Windoweight operating system appear promising, Microsoft should focus its efforts on making an intuitive user expertise that’sway less resource intensive.”

Acer is also able to boost its flagging figures with its new Ultrabook, the S5, Canalys believes, though adoption may well be slow initially.

“We expect Ultrabook volumes to visualize restricted adoption through the primary 1/2 2012, before finally gaining momentum later within the year as value points decline and Intel launches a brand new line of processors and embarks on an aggressive promoting campaign,” said Canalys analysis Analyst Michael Kauh.

“In the short term though, vendors can expertise a lot of pressure within the netbook and notebook segments,particularly with Apple’s annual iPad refresh approaching.”