DisplaySearch announced that, according to its latest research, surging iPad shipments propelled Apple to a 17.2% share of worldwide mobile PC shipments in Q4 2010.

For more information visit: www.displaysearch.com

Unedited press release follows:

iPad Shipments Propel Apple Past HP to Top Mobile PC Position

Preliminary DisplaySearch Results Indicate Apple’s Share Reached 17.2% in Q4

Santa Clara, California, February 16, 2011—Surging iPad shipments have propelled Apple to a 17.2% share of worldwide mobile PC shipments in Q4’10, placing Apple at the top of the DisplaySearch market share ranking. According to preliminary results from the DisplaySearch Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast Report, Apple shipped more than 10.2 million notebook and tablet PCs combined, nearly a million more units than HP in Q4’10. While Apple’s iPad is benefiting from a first-mover advantage, particularly in mature markets, its notebook PC shipment growth rate continues to exceed the industry average.

“While we anticipate increased competition in the tablet PC market later this year with the introduction of Android Honeycomb-based tablets, Apple’s iPad business is complementing a notebook line whose shipments widely exceed the industry average growth rate,” said Richard Shim, Senior Analyst at DisplaySearch. “Apple is currently benefiting from significant and comprehensive growth from both sectors of the mobile PC spectrum, notebooks and tablet PCs. Cannibalization seems limited at this point.”

Among the top five brands in the mobile PC market, Toshiba was the only other company to exhibit Y/Y shipment growth. Toshiba’s shipments increased 15% Y/Y, to over 5.1 million units in Q4’10, as it maintained its #5 position in market share. HP, Acer Group (including Founder shipments), and Dell took the #2, #3, and $4 positions, respectively. The top five brands accounted for 65.4% of the total mobile PC market.

Table 1: Preliminary Q4’10 Worldwide Top Five Mobile PC Shipment Rankings by Brand (millions)

Source: DisplaySearch Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast Report–Preliminary
* Includes Founder shipments

In Q4’10, worldwide mobile PC shipments (including tablet PCs) reached 59.6 million, up 8% Q/Q and 17% Y/Y, the highest volume since DisplaySearch first began to track this segment in 1999. Growth of notebook PC shipments, excluding tablets, was weak in Q4’10, up 4% Q/Q and 1% Y/Y.

The DisplaySearch Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast Report covers the entire range of mobile PC products shipped worldwide and regionally. Covering global and regional brands, the Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast Report provides an objective, expert view of the market with insight into historical shipments, revenues, forecasts and more. For more information about the report, please contact Charles Camaroto at 1.888.436.7673 or 1.516.625.2452, e-mail contact@displaysearch.com or contact your regional DisplaySearch office in China, Japan, Korea or Taiwan or more information.

About DisplaySearch
Since 1996, DisplaySearch has been recognized as a leading global market research and consulting firm specializing in the display supply chain, as well as the emerging photovoltaic/solar cell industries. DisplaySearch provides trend information, forecasts and analyses developed by a global team of experienced analysts with extensive industry knowledge. In collaboration with the NPD Group, its parent company, DisplaySearch uniquely offers a true end-to-end view of the display supply chain from materials and components to shipments of electronic devices with displays to sales of major consumer and commercial channels. For more information on DisplaySearch analysts, reports and industry events, visit us at www.displaysearch.com/. Read our blog at www.displaysearchblog.com/ and follow us on Twitter at @DisplaySearch.

About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 1,800 manufacturers, retailers, and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice, home, office supplies, software, sports, toys, and wireless. For more information, contact us or visit www.npd.com/ and www.npdgroupblog.com/. Follow us on Twitter at @npdtech and @npdgroup.