Apple has pushed ahead of HP in the global mobile PC market on the back of a swell of iPad sales.
Apple took a 17.2% worldwide share in mobile PC shipments in Q4 2010 according to a report by supply researcher DisplaySearch. This share accounts for 10.2 million units – nearly a million more than HP.

The report identifies that while the iPad had the advantage of being first to market in its category, Apple notebooks were also part of the Apple surge with growth rates for the computers exceeding the industry average.

While Gartner believes that tablets like the iPad are slowly cannibalising other devices like media players and e-readers, DisplaySearch’s Senior Analyst, Richard Shim says that Apple’s notebook growth shows that this phenomenon is so far limited.

Apple is yet to release the ‘iPad 2’ that is set to come to light later this year. Based on the strong, market-topping sales of the iPad since launch, including sales of over a quarter million in Australia, the next release will further push Apple profit and market share.

Android Honeycomb tablets are expected to increase competition in the tablet market this year, especially following weak growth in notebooks that only achieved a 1% growth in the last year.

Gartner research predicts an annual growth of tablet sales that trumps each preceding year by 50 million sales. This year is predicted to see over 50 million sales, while 2013 holds potential tablet sales of 150 million. These sales will push into the business market as well as the typical consumer market.

Trailing behind Apple are HP, Acer, Dell and Toshiba (in that order) while these top five companies hold a 65% hold of mobile PC market share, leaving 35% to the myriad of other subscribers to the tablet push.