M1 Macs market share 0.8%; will be 7% by summer – TrendForce

Market intelligence firm TrendForce has estimated that the M1 Macs market share is currently 0.8% of all laptop sales, but expects new models to push Apple’s share to 7% by the summer.

The report estimates notebook computer shipments for 2020, and forecasts those expected in 2021 …

TrendForce begins by pointing to the record demand created by those working and studying from home during the pandemic.

Owing to the stay-at-home economy brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, not only did yearly notebook computer shipment surpass 200 million units for the first time ever, but the 22.5% YoY growth was also the highest on record, according to TrendForce’s latest investigations.

It notes that trying to forecast 2021 demand is tough but has taken its best shot.

The current global market is plagued by the ever-intensifying pandemic, with various countries instating border control and lockdown measures, making it impossible at the moment to accurately forecast the state of the notebook market in 2H21. Nevertheless, TrendForce currently expects global notebook shipment for 2021 to reach 217 million units, an 8.6% increase YoY. 

It then splits out the numbers by processor. Unsurprisingly, with only three of the latest Macs having made the transition so far, M1 Macs market share during 2020 was tiny – estimated at 0.8% of the laptop market. However, it expects this to change dramatically after the second quarter of this year.

Along with the release of Apple Silicon M1, Apple has also completed the integration between its hardware, software, and SaaS platforms. The company is expected to release 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, both of which will be equipped with Apple’s in-house CPUs, after 2Q21, raising Apple’s notebook market share to about 7%.

We named the M1 Macs the official 9to5Mac Apple Product of the Year. I also cited it in my annual Apple Report Card as the Cupertino company’s most important achievement during 2020.

TrendForce notes that Intel will be feeling the squeeze, with one of the company’s biggest investors recently issuing a plea for the company to attempt the impossible: win back Apple’s business.