PC Data estimates Compaq Computer Corp regained the leading retail PC market share in June with 25.4%, up 45% on the same period last year, while Hewlett-Packard Co fell to third place. Windows 98 accounted for 29% of all Windows-based PCs shipped in May. Average PC prices were $1,123, down 20% over June 1997. Total PC sales increased 21.5% over the same period last year. Sub-$1,000 PCs accounted for more than 43% of the market for the fifth consecutive month, the market researcher says. Compaq, which lost its lead in May, has held the leading position for 10 of the last 12 months. IBM Corp was in second place – driven by sales of PCs using AMD’s K6 – and Packard-Bell NEC was in fourth, its fifth consecutive month of year-over-year decline. AMD-based PCs accounted for 26.2% of retail sales in the month.
