After reading the article, I found the predictions quite curious, so I decided to run some numbers. Especially since it's about the global PC market, and the fi

After reading the article, I found the predictions quite curious, so I decided to run some numbers. Especially since it's about the global PC market, and the figures seem to include enterprise sales. Apple's computer sales have always been strong in North America, but its market share is negligible in large parts of the rest of the world. Apple also has little market share in the enterprise market. The article states that, at this moment, global market share for Apple desktops and notebooks is 4.4 percent. It predicts that Apple's desktop and notebook market share won't change much in 2011. About 300 million desktops and notebooks are sold annually. Apple's computer sales have outgrown the market by 25-35% for the last couple of years, but ofcourse, such continued growth would translate to only 1.5 percent point next year (so that doesn't contribute much towards the predicted tripling of Apple's market share). Apple sold 13.66 million Macs in the last four financial quarters -- at this rate it will sell ~20 million Macs next year. The analyst predicts sales of 37.2 million iPads in 2011. Combined with the 20 million Macs, that would make for 57.2 million Apple computer sales. If that makes up for 12% of the global market of desktops, laptops and tablets, then that market consists of 475 million units in 2011. I think the total market for desktops, notebooks and tablets will be smaller, closer to 330 million units (that's still a 10% increase!). That would mean that Apple's market share will be even larger than the analyst is predicting: a whopping 17.3% It's obvious that iOS is working out quite well for Apple, but with iOS devices outselling Macs 6 to 1 in 2011, I hope it continues to love Mac OS X and iOS equally.