Last Year Laptop Market Grew 19%... 3-Month Supply Delays Due to 'Bupumnan'

SA, 2021 Laptop PC Shipments Total 268 Million Units... OS Competition and IT Demand

The 'Little Kakao Friends Chromebook' product released last year through a partnership between Lenovo Korea, Google, and Stage Five. Photo by Lenovo Korea

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] Last year, the global notebook PC market grew by 19% compared to the previous year, driven by competition in operating systems (OS) and the wave of IT services. However, due to the global semiconductor component shortage, some emerging countries experienced a three-month delayed supply situation where third-quarter notebook orders were only fulfilled in the fourth quarter. This year, production disruptions are also expected, and with rising freight and manufacturing costs, the industry is urged to exercise caution.

Shipments Increased 19% Compared to Previous Year

Market research firm Strategy Analytics (SA) announced on the 31st of last month (local time) that global notebook PC shipments reached 268 million units in 2021, a 19% increase from the previous year.

Microsoft’s new OS, Windows 11, and the demand for Device as a Service (DaaS) acted as driving forces. Chirak Upadhyay, an industry analyst, said, "The fourth quarter was a strong quarter, just like last year’s strong trend," adding, "The number of people wanting a hybrid work environment increased, and Windows 11 and DaaS offered price advantages, leading to continued growth in advanced markets." Conversely, in emerging markets, it is interpreted that the sustained demand from small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) pursuing mobility transformation determined the market direction.

By manufacturer, Lenovo, the overall leader with a 24% market share, shipped 63.4 million units over the past year, a 16% increase from the previous year. HP increased by 14% to 59 million units, Dell grew by 29% to 45.7 million units, Apple rose by 26% to 24.4 million units, and Acer increased by 23% to 20.1 million units, securing a spot in the top five.

Windows OS Demand Increased in Q4

Apple's new 'MacBook Pro' released last year

Looking specifically at the fourth quarter, only Dell and Apple showed net growth. Lenovo shipped 16.2 million units, a 6% increase from the previous year. HP shipped 14.5 million units, down 4% from the previous year, and Acer, which was hit hard by supply issues in the previous quarter, shipped 5.2 million units, down 6%. Conversely, Dell grew by 14% to 13.2 million units, and Apple’s MacBook shipments exceeded 6.6 million units, an 11% increase from the previous year, breaking all-time records. The new version of macOS received positive feedback, leading to strong sales from September onward.

Eric Smith, Director of Connected Computing, praised, "Chromebook demand slowed in the second half, but Windows demand surged in the fourth quarter," adding, "Windows 11 enterprise upgrades are a strong growth driver for Windows OS notebooks." Microsoft recently introduced Windows 11 SE, specialized for online education, and is known to have signed cooperation agreements with leading notebook PC manufacturers.

This year, a focus on sound management is necessary. In addition to semiconductor component shortages, overall cost burdens have increased. Last year, companies in emerging markets delayed third-quarter orders to the fourth quarter due to component shortages and supply issues. Analyst Upadhyay noted, "Notebook PC companies need to be cautious this year in the face of ongoing supply issues and soaring freight and manufacturing costs."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.