Apple to surpass HP as top notebook vendor in 2012

Apple will surpass HP has the world’s largest notebook vendor in 2012, according to DigiTimes. There’s one catch, though: that statement is only valid if tablet PC sales are included in the overall “notebooks shipped” figure. Here’s how it could work: tablet PC shipments are on track to top 60 million units this year, and Apple has a 60% grip on that market thanks to an expected 40 million iPad shipments this year. Analysts think that 80 million tablet PCs will ship next year, and they project Apple will move 60 million iPads alone — a 40% share of the market. DigiTimes also said that the Cupertino-based firm could ship 15 million MacBooks next year, for a total of 75 million “notebooks and tablets” shipped. HP, on the other hand, is on track to ship 45-50 million notebooks this year. DigiTimes did not address HP’s new TouchPad tablet, the company’s 7-inch webOS tablet rumored to be waiting in the wings, or the possibility of the company creating and shipping tablets running Microsoft’s new Windows 8 operating system.

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