A new Trend Force report forecasts a significant 13.6% drop in global laptop shipments for 2026, partly driven by recent MacBook price increases. While Apple's premium pricing may push some cost-conscious consumers toward Windows alternatives, the report suggests this effect will be limited, especially as component costs rise across the industry.

These price hikes reflect broader industry pressures, including memory shortages and increasing component expenses, affecting even premium brands like Apple. Trend Force anticipates Apple will ship 23.1 million notebooks in 2026, a figure that still represents double-digit year-over-year growth despite softening demand in the latter half of the year.

The report attributes Apple's resilience to its strong macOS ecosystem and upgrades powered by Apple Silicon. However, the broader market faces headwinds from sustained demand for AI servers straining resources and consumer resistance to higher prices. This confluence of factors is expected to drive the overall market contraction.

Ultimately, rising component costs and consumer price sensitivity are projected to shrink the global laptop market considerably, even as Apple navigates these challenges with relative strength.