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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsEstimated U.S. Mac shipments rose just 0.5% in calendar Q2 2024, while the broader U.S. PC market grew about 4%. Apple’s share slipped, giving its coming M4 refresh a plausible opportunity to revive demand—but “strong growth” was a forecast, not a result established by those shipment figures.
What “Q2” means in this shipment report
The figures cover calendar Q2 2024—April through June—and the U.S. market. They are Canalys market estimates reported by 9to5Mac, not unit sales Apple disclosed in its financial statements. Apple’s fiscal Q2 2024 ended March 30, 2024, so its fiscal-quarter results describe a different period. 9to5Mac’s September 25, 2024 report gives the figures behind the headline.
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How flat were Mac shipments?
Apple’s estimated U.S. Mac shipments edged up by about 12,000 units year over year. That small increase was nearly flat in practical terms, especially against growth in the overall PC market.
| Measure | Q2 2023 | Q2 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estimated U.S. Mac shipments | 2.31 million | 2.322 million | Approximately +0.5% |
| Apple’s estimated U.S. PC share | 12.7% | 12.3% | Down 0.4 percentage points |
| Total U.S. PC shipments, excluding tablets | Not stated in the cited report | 18.9 million | Approximately +4% year over year |
On this estimate, Apple underperformed the U.S. PC market and lost share. The same report said notebook shipments grew by more than 5%; enterprise PC shipments grew 12%, while consumer and small and midsize business segments grew 3% and 6%, respectively. The comparison points to a relative-performance problem, not proof of a collapse in Mac demand. Market-share estimates and shipment units also say nothing by themselves about Apple’s Mac revenue or average selling price.
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- This pre-owned product is not Apple certified, but has been professionally inspected, tested and cleaned by Amazon-qualified suppliers.
- There will be no visible cosmetic imperfections when held at an arm’s length. There will be no visible cosmetic imperfections when held at an arm’s length.
- This product will have a battery which exceeds 80% capacity relative to new.
- Accessories will not be original, but will be compatible and fully functional. Product may come in generic Box.
- This product is eligible for a replacement or refund within 90 days of receipt if you are not satisfied.
Why might Mac shipments have lagged?
The shipment data show what happened, but do not establish why. Several explanations fit the timing; none is quantified by the figures.
Buyers may have waited for a product refresh
By September 2024, Apple had refreshed the MacBook Air with M3 earlier in the year, while M4 versions of the MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini were anticipated for later. That timing gave prospective buyers a reason to defer a purchase. There was no public evidence showing how many people actually waited for M4 hardware.
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- HAPPILY EVER FASTER — Along with its faster CPU and unified memory, M5 features a more powerful GPU with a Neural Accelerator built into each core, delivering faster AI performance. So you can blaze through demanding workloads at mind-bending speeds.
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The Apple-silicon upgrade cycle had matured
The transition from Intel processors to Apple silicon began with M1 in late 2020 and extended across the product line in the following years. Those launches created a major upgrade opportunity for Intel Mac owners. Later generations had a harder task: many M1 and M2 Macs remained capable computers, so a newer chip alone might not persuade their owners to replace them. This is a market-cycle interpretation, not a measured cause of Q2 shipments. The September 2024 coverage linked the earlier surge to M1 Macs; BGR’s report also framed M4 as a potential growth catalyst.
Corporate refreshes may have favored the wider PC market
Enterprise shipments were reportedly growing faster than consumer and SMB shipments. That activity could have lifted the overall PC market without producing an equal lift for Apple. It is possible that organizations were waiting for newer Apple configurations or that their refreshes favored other PC vendors; the reported shipment figures do not resolve which explanation applies.
Rank #3
- SUPERCHARGED BY M5 — The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 brings next-generation speed and powerful on-device AI to personal, professional, and creative tasks. Featuring all-day battery life and a breathtaking Liquid Retina XDR display with up to 1600 nits peak brightness, it’s pro in every way.*
- HAPPILY EVER FASTER — Along with its faster CPU and unified memory, M5 features a more powerful GPU with a Neural Accelerator built into each core, delivering faster AI performance. So you can blaze through demanding workloads at mind-bending speeds.
- BUILT FOR APPLE INTELLIGENCE — Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- ALL-DAY BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Pro delivers the same exceptional performance whether it’s running on battery or plugged in.
- APPS FLY WITH APPLE SILICON — All your favorites, including Microsoft 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud, run lightning fast in macOS.*
What M4 Macs were expected in September 2024?
Before Apple announced the products, reporting based on Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and other roadmap coverage pointed to a late-2024 refresh of the MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac. These were expectations, not official launch commitments. MacRumors’ August 2024 report covered the anticipated models.
- A 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4, alongside 14- and 16-inch models using M4 Pro and M4 Max.
- A redesigned Mac mini with M4 and M4 Pro options.
- A 24-inch iMac with M4.
Separate roadmap reporting also suggested MacBook Air updates in spring 2025 and Mac Studio and Mac Pro updates later that year. Those were not Apple announcements. MacRumors’ April 2024 roundup relayed the broader expected launch sequence.
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- CHAMPION CHIPS — The M4 Pro chip blazes through demanding tasks like compiling millions of lines of code. M4 Max can handle the most challenging workflows, like rendering intricate 3D content.
- BUILT FOR APPLE INTELLIGENCE—Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data—not even Apple.*
- ALL-DAY BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Pro delivers the same exceptional performance whether it’s running on battery or plugged in.
- APPS FLY WITH APPLE SILICON — All your favorites, including Microsoft 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud, run lightning fast in macOS.*
Why the M4 cycle could have helped
The case for a rebound rested on more than a faster processor. Refreshing several major categories together could put more new Macs in front of buyers, while owners who had skipped M3 might see a better reason to upgrade. The Mac mini was especially notable because it was redesigned, rather than receiving only an internal chip update.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Apple Intelligence was a selling point, not an M4-only feature
Apple positioned M4 Macs for Apple Intelligence, emphasizing the Neural Engine and Apple-silicon architecture. But the feature did not require M4: Apple Intelligence was supported on Apple-silicon Macs, subject to software, language, and regional requirements. At the Mac mini’s launch, Apple listed availability in U.S. English with macOS Sequoia 15.1. The feature could help market the lineup, but it did not by itself prove that existing M-series owners would upgrade.
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- This pre-owned product is not Apple certified, but has been professionally inspected, tested and cleaned by Amazon-qualified suppliers.
- There will be no visible cosmetic imperfections when held at an arm’s length. There will be no visible cosmetic imperfections when held at an arm’s length.
- This product will have a battery which exceeds 80% capacity relative to new.
- Accessories will not be original, but will be compatible and fully functional. Product may come in generic Box.
- This product is eligible for a replacement or refund within 90 days of receipt if you are not satisfied.
The Mac mini offered a more visible change and a lower entry price
Apple announced the redesigned M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini on October 29, 2024, with availability beginning November 8. Its enclosure measured 5 by 5 inches, and the U.S. starting price was $599 for a configuration with 16GB of unified memory. A desktop buyer still needed to account for a display and input devices, and memory is not user-upgradable after purchase.
Apple claimed the M4 Mac mini delivered up to 1.8 times faster CPU performance and 2.2 times faster GPU performance than the M1 model. Those are Apple’s comparisons, not independent benchmark results, and real-world gains depend on the workload and configurations compared. Apple’s announcement also detailed differences in display support and ports between M4 and M4 Pro configurations. Apple’s October 29 announcement has the specifications and launch details.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happened after the forecast?
Apple did deliver the broad late-2024 refresh the market had anticipated: an M4 iMac, M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini, and MacBook Pro models with M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max arrived in October. The Mac mini became available in November. That confirms the product-cycle expectation, not the claim that the refresh would produce strong shipment growth. A late-quarter launch can shift sales into a later reporting period, and launch announcements alone do not measure how many units customers bought.
What the shipment figures cannot prove
- They are estimates, not sell-through data. Channel inventory, retailer stocking, and shipment timing can affect quarterly estimates.
- They do not establish deferred demand. No public count in the report shows how many buyers postponed a Mac purchase for M4.
- Unit growth is not revenue growth. Higher-priced models can lift revenue without comparable unit gains; a flat shipment estimate is not a direct measure of revenue.
- The U.S. result is not a worldwide result. It cannot be generalized to Europe, China, or the global Mac market.
- One quarter may reflect a temporary PC refresh cycle. The reported enterprise growth need not continue at the same rate.
What it means for Mac buyers now
The M4 story is historical, not a current-generation recommendation. As of August 18, 2026, Apple’s storefront lists M5 configurations for MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, while its Mac mini store lists M4 and M4 Pro configurations. Availability and configurations can change; check the live product pages before buying. Apple’s Mac lineup, MacBook Air store, MacBook Pro store, and Mac mini store show the current listings.
Quick Recap
- Intel Mac owners: A newer Apple-silicon system can represent a more substantial generational change than moving from a recent M-series Mac. Check compatibility with the apps and peripherals you rely on.
- M1 or M2 owners: Base the decision on workload, memory needs, battery condition, and a specific feature you need—not the chip generation alone. Apple Intelligence is not exclusive to M4 Macs.
- Mac mini shoppers: Add the cost of a display, keyboard, mouse or trackpad, cables, and any hub you need. Choose unified memory for the expected ownership period because it cannot be upgraded later.
- Professional users: Compare sustained workload performance, memory capacity, external-display support, ports, and software compatibility rather than relying on headline chip claims.
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