MacBook sales are in freefall, Apple no longer convinces

Apple, the tech giant that has dominated the personal computing market for years, is experiencing a significant drop in demand for its MacBook laptops this year.

According to a recent report by the International Data Corporation (IDC), global PC device shipments fell 29% in Q1 2023 compared to the same period of the previous year. The drop in demand was felt by all major PC makers, but it was Apple that was hit the hardest.

The number of Apple computers shipped fell 40.5% over the same period, while Lenovo, HP, Dell and Asus saw declines ranging from 24.2% to 30.3%. This is therefore a reversal from 2021, when the demand for personal computers had increased due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Apple has reduced its production of MacBooks

According to IDC, supply chain issues that plagued electronics manufacturers in 2020 did not play a role in the drop in demand. Excess inventory has been a major concern and, despite deep discounts and sale prices, PC manufacturers should see this excess supply persist until the middle of the year and potentially until the third quarter.

Therefore, we had learned a few days ago that Apple had greatly slowed down the production of M2 chips. We imagine that the manufacturer hopes to bet everything on the next M3 chips, which should be engraved in 3nm, which would not only offer much better performance, but also better autonomy. Apple is even preparing to launch a MacBook Air with a giant 15-inch screen this year.

The decline in demand for Apple computers is a worrying situation that the company must face. The company is said to have scaled back work on some projects while pushing forward some of its big tech announcements. While the Cupertino company has reportedly delayed the release of a new Homepod, it will continue to focus on its upcoming mixed reality headset, the first images of which are set to premiere at WWDC 2023 in June.