World's biggest computer makers if we include smartphones? Nokia, HP, Apple..

A little over a year ago I wrote my blog here where we did probably the world's first calculation of total computer shipment numbers on the assumption that a smartphone could be counted as a computer. Not surprisingly many crucified us here for blasphemy, that a smartphone could not be counted as a proper computer.

How quickly times change in the mobile industry haha. Since then of the world's 5 largest pure PC makers, Dell, Lenovo and Acer have announced their own smartphones. Toshiba was already a smartphone maker. And today HP has bought Palm with the last of the top 5 largest PC makers now also being smartphone makers. And its not just there, Apple the company previously known as Apple Computer, is a major smartphone maker. Microsoft which previously made smartphone operating systems now also makes smartphones. Google the world's biggest internet company is now also a smartphone maker. And Intel the inside guys, doesn't manufacture smartphones but collaborates with Nokia on the future MeeGo smartphone operating system. I think its fair to say, that the PC industry is very willing now to accept that a smartphone is indeed a pocket computer. But if one of our readers still feels this does not smell right, please read this blog - why a smartphone is a real computer.

So, last time my blog was a bit provocative, I did expect some push-back but I was also quite willing to argue that smartphones were real computers. Not that all mobile phones are computers in the proper sense - but a smartphone is indeed 'user programmable' ie we can install apps on one, just like we can on our laptop PC. Why not count an iPhone as a computer or a Google Nexus One or a Nokia N900? So since we started this tomfoolery, lets do an update for end of 2009 market shares of 'all computers' including desktop PCs, notebook PCs, netbook PCs, smartphones, and the PDA form factor exhibited by the Apple iPod Touch. (obviously the iPad had not launched by the end of 2009, but we'll count it for 2010 unit sales when I will report those next year haha)

TOP 8 LARGEST COMPUTER MAKERS BY UNIT SALES VOLUME FULL YEAR 2009

1. (1.)  Nokia  . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67.8 million . . . . . 14.0% . . . (13.8%)
2. (2.)  Hewlett-Packard . . . . .  60.2 million . . . . . 12.4% . . . (11.9%)
3. (4.)  Apple . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51.2 million . . . . . 10.6% . . .  ( 7.5%)
4. (5.)  Acer . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39.6 million . . . . . .  8.2% . . . ( 6.6%)
5. (3.)  Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38.5 million . . . . . .  7.9% . . . ( 9.4%)
6. (7.)  RIM . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  35.6 million . . . . . . .7.1% . . . ( 4.2%)
7. (8.)  Toshiba . . . . . . . . . . . . 28.4 million . . . . . . .5.9% . . . ( 2.8%) 
8. (6.)  Lenovo . . . . . . . . . . . . .25.1 million . . . . . .  5.2% . . . ( 4.7%)
All other makers . . . . . . . . . . 139.0 million . . . . . . 28.7% . . .(39.1%)

TOTAL computers . . . . . . . . . 465.5 million

There you go. Nokia is still the biggest computer maker but HP has slightly closed the gap. Apple has made a big move up into a clear 3rd place. With the iPad it could have perhaps leapfrogged HP - but now HP will gain the sales of Palm for this year. RIM has moved up as has Toshbia. Dell and Lenovo dropping in the tables.

Note I can only do a Top 8, not a Top 10, because I don't have reasonably accurate total PC shipment numbers for more than the top 5 biggest PC makers. Even with Apple, Gartner and IDC do not usually report world shipments for Apple Macs, only US sales. And I have estimated iPod Touch sales at 60% level of iPhone for 2009 (we do not have an official number). That ratio may grow this year.

But there, the world's biggest computer maker is not HP, it is Nokia. And Apple does not have a 4% global market share of computers, its market share is nearing 11%.

For anyone wanting to reference these numbers, the source is TomiAhonen Consulting April 2010, feel free to use the numbers and feel free to link to this blog. And for anyone who wants to have the full numbers of the mobile industry, please take a look at the TomiAhonen Almanac 2010. There are free sample tables and stats at the Almanac information and ordering pages. 

Comments

[Tom Ross]

Tomi, on Apple:

Combined iPhone and iPod Touch shipments were well over 45 Million according to Steve Jobs' on stage statements, with 30 million units crossed early in the year 2009, and 75 million by January 2010:

17-Mar-2009
"30 million iPhones sold — now that’s a game platform"
http://games.venturebeat.com/2009/03/17/iphone-30-event-30-million-sold-now-thats-a-game-platform/

26-Jan-2010
"UPDATED: Over 75 Million! Could Apple’s iPhone/iPod touch Platform be Nearing 70 Million? TiPb Calculates!"
http://theappleblog.com/2010/01/28/ipod-touch-now-outselling-iphone/

Mac shipments were 11.2 million, or broken down by quarters: 2.2—2.6—3.1—3.4 million.
http://www.apple.com/investor/

In total, I would put Apple at no less than 55 million in 2009 sales, and possibly up to 60 million.

[Pavel Gertman]

Tomi, It seems that you've copypasted totals number from 2008 data: 67.8 + 60.2 + 51.2 + 39.6 + 38.5 + 35.6 + 28.4 + 25.1 + 139 = 485.4

[New Technology]

Nokia is still the biggest computer maker but HP has slightly closed the gap. Apple has made a big move up into a clear 3rd place. For anyone wanting to reference these numbers, the source is TomiAhonen Consulting April 2010, feel free to use the numbers and feel free to link to this blog.
____________________
Peterscott

[Jaydee]

Nice information here!
I also think you'll really be crucified of including smartphone as computer hehhe!

anyway, I guess "All other makers" includes sony ericson, motorola, blackberry... they started making phones and I dont know if now they are making computer "real computer" LOL!

[Charles]

Good numbers, though it would be useful to see the original data (as a Google spreadsheet?) so people can check working. Also: Apple's world computer shipments are available through their financials - they say each quarter how many Macs, iPods, and iPhones they have shipped (though breaking out the iPod Touch = iOS device from plain iPods might be tricky).

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biggest internet company is now also a smartphone maker. And Intel the inside guys, doesn't manufacture smartphones but collaborates with Nokia on the future MeeGo smartphone operating system. I think its fair to say, that