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NPD: Apple accounted for 1/5th of all US consumer tech revenue last year
The 2012 superlatives for Apple just keep rolling in. NPD Group released a report today showing an overall decline in US sales of consumer technology for the year, but that Apple's share of sales (based on revenue) rose from 17.3 percent in 2011 to 19.9 percent in 2012. Apple's sales share was over 10 percent higher than number two brand Samsung at 9.3 percent. HP, Sony and Dell -- taken together -- had less of a share (15.6 percent) of US consumer technology sales than Apple alone. NPD's data also show several ominous trends for all companies in the consumer technology sector. Revenues from sales of notebook computers were down 9 percent from 2011, while desktops showed a 11 percent drop year over year. Smartphone revenues grew at a slightly slower rate -- 25 percent -- in 2012 than in 2011 (28 percent), and growth in the tablet market slowed dramatically as well. 2011 was a banner year for growth of the tablet market, with a growth in revenue of 135 percent. Last year's numbers showed a drop to "only" a 42 percent growth rate. Whether that trend will affect Apple's earnings in 2013 is unknown, making growth in offshore markets like China and India all that much more important to the company. [via AppleInsider]
