Apple retail marketshare numbers skyrocket

The Macintosh platform continues its marketshare hot streak according to Pacific Crest Securities analyst, Andy Hargreaves who notes that Apple increased its February US retail marketshare numbers from 9% in 2007 to 14% in 2008.

In dollar terms Apple has hit 25% of the retail marketshare. In other words, for every $4 spent on retail computers in February, $1 was on an Apple computer. The areas of major gain were in laptops including Apple's MacBook Air and Pro line.

Additionally, Hargreaves added, "Macbook Air sales appear to be additive to total sales, rather than replacing Macbook Pro sales. We believe a new set of corporate customers make up a meaningful portion of MacBook Air buyers."

My blogging colleague Preston Gralla last week reported that Windows laptops were getting squeezed by Macs at the top end and Linux at the low end using data from online retailers like Amazon and aggregator Pricegrabber.

All these numbers are for retailers and leave out huge online players like Dell - which is a huge consideration. Also, PC selling chains like CompUSA (which also sold Macs) went out of business while Apple Stores continue to rapidly expand. Furthermore, Best Buy, the largest US electronics retailer, is expanding its Apple store-within-a-store models. These improvements are fairly dramatic and are another illustration that the Mac is gaining in popularity.

Hargreaves also reported that the iPhone might create an "Enterprise Halo effect" that could bring more Macintoshes to the enterprise. I am not sure where he came up with that nonsense.

Anyway, all good news for the Macintosh platform...

February 2008 US-based PC retail market share growth figures
Source: NPD, Pacific Crest Securities.

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