PC shipments fall for the first time in two years

According to research carried out by the International Data Corporation (IDC), Global PC shipments dropped nearly five percent in Q2 2026 to 68.2 million units, marking the first decline after nine consecutive quarters of growth. As most informed readers will have already guessed, the ongoing memory chip shortage and the resulting price hikes are primarily to blame, which is expected to last until early 2028.

Despite dropping shipments, IDC points out that PC manufacturers are still managing to increase revenue "because vendors are pushing through price increases faster than demand is dropping." In other words, end consumers are footing the bill for the memory shortage. IDC also expects PC shipments to decline even further in the coming months, as existing inventory dwindles and consumers face further price hikes.

Another notable trend that stands out is increasing vendor consolidation, as major brands such as Apple, Dell, and Lenovo leverage their monopoly on certain device categories, including smartphones and servers, to ensure memory supply and edge out smaller competitors. In this regard, Apple is best positioned owing to its buying power and well-established relationships with its suppliers.
 

As these statistics show, Apple managed to defy the decline and grow its PC shipments. Coinciding with the launch of the MacBook Neo ($835 at Amazon), the company shipped an additional 800,000 PCs this quarter over to the same period in 2025, pushing its market share up to nearly 10% from 8.5%. Of course, barely any of Apple's devices are immune from the memory crisis, with price hikes forecast for the iPhone, iPad and Mac models.