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"According to data from the NPD Group released today, the 2012 holiday sales cycle wasn't kind to companies associated with the sale of laptop computers: unit volume declined.\r\n\r\nMicrosoft saw a broad 11% decline in total notebook sales during the measured holiday cycle, while Apple endured a 6% drop. Softening Apple's decline is the fact that its average sale price (ASP) of each laptop it shipped rose $100; given the starting price point for Apple laptops, the $100 increase indicates that Apple's total laptop revenue rose during the period, comparatively, despite declining unit volume.\r\n\r\nMicrosoft didn't have such luck, with average sale prices far below Apple's number.\u00A0Interestingly, &amp;quot;[t]ouchscreen notebooks were 4.5 percent of Windows 8 sales with ASPs around $700,&amp;quot; which places their price above the larger Windows laptop average of $420.\r\n\r\nApple's ASP of $1,419 is nearly precisely $1,000 more than the average cost of a Windows-based laptop.\r\n\r\nIt's important to note that the 11% decline in Windows-based laptops does not imply an aggregate 11% decline in Windows sales, as some are stating. According to NPD commentary provided to Business Insider, the declines that Windows-based mobile computers suffered from were not a surprise: &amp;quot;Windows notebook sales were going down all year. This isn't new. This isn't an acceleration. This is in line with what's going on. It's not any worse, or any better.&amp;quot; The same source went on to \u00A0absolve Windows 8 of any blame for the decline.\r\n\r\nNaturally, Apple sold millions and millions of iPads during the holiday period, perhaps compensating for - or partially causing - the decline in its laptop volume. Microsoft only has the Surface and a few medium-warm OEM tablet offerings to compensate for its decline. Given the Surface's lack of explosive growth, the company in all\u00A0likelihood\u00A0lost ground.\r\n\r\nIn case you were curious, you can buy a plethora of Windows 8-based laptops for $350. Think of them like tissues: disposable.\r\n\r\nTop Image Credit:\u00A0Dell Inc."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/01/04/windows-notebook-sales-declined-11-and-macbook-sales-slumped-6-this-holiday-season/>