Could Apple end up being the biggest maker of personal computers by the end of 2012? It’s very possible, according to Canalys, though it depends on whether you want to count an iPad as a personal computer. Apple’s future performance, of course, will also be a factor, especially in regard to its launch strategy for the next version of the iPad.
Apple’s (Nasdaq: AAPL) mammoth new store in New York’s Grand Central Station probably won’t be open before Black Friday, but with momentum in the PC market, renewed patents and continuing strength across its ecosystem, the company looks strong heading into one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
The new Apple retail store under construction in Manhattan’s Grand Central Station was rumored to announce today it would open up for Black Friday, but the heavy black drapes that have covered the store were still in place as of late Tuesday, covering the sound of tools and any view of the progress. As of press time, Apple hasn’t released any information on the store, which will be the company’s biggest yet and will sit in one of the most trafficked areas in the country.
With multiple reports coming out this week indicating Apple’s power in various markets, though, it doesn’t appear that the company is in any particular need of a boost from a new store. One report even predicts that by the second half of 2012, Apple will surpass HP (NYSE: HPQ) to become the world leader in personal computer sales — but it depends on how you do the counting.
PC Dominance
Apple becoming the world’s top computer maker would depend upon whether one counts the iPad as a personal computer. The prediction is particularly dependent on the iPad 3, which is rumored to launch in early 2012. Analysts from Canalys decided to include tablet sales in the PC market.
“Including the iPad might be controversial, but if you look at what it’s being used for — things like e-mail and social networking — it can have an effect on traditional PC sales. If you are a vendor looking at this market and trying to compete in the market, you’re going to have to take the tablet into account,” Tim Coulling, analyst with Canalys, told MacNewsWorld.
Full Story Via eCommerce Times