Apple sales surpass all Windows PC partners combined during the holidays

The strength of Apple’s growing product lineup helped push its sales beyond that of all Microsoft’s PC partners. According to analysis by Benedict Evans, the Cupertino company’s combined production of Mac, iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices hit an all-time high during the previous quarter, edging out all Windows PCs put together, and about equal to Windows PC and Windows Phone shipments. In 2013, Apple’s lineup was bolstered by two new iPhones, a new iPad mini and brand new Mac Pro.

Seven years after entering the mobile computing market with iPhone, the Cupertino-based company has now reached a peak of building and selling more computers than all of Microsoft’s Windows licensees put together. As noted by leading market analyst Benedict Evans, Apple’s combined production of Mac, iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices peaked in the December quarter at a level slightly higher than all Windows PCs put together, or essentially equal with all PCs combined with all Windows Phone shipments.  Such sales volumes were unthinkable for Apple just a few years ago. While the company’s Mac desktops and notebooks were growing significantly in the mid 2000s, they still remained in the realm of a million or two systems each year, in contrast to annual PC shipments well above 200 million.