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Srinivasa Reddy Kandi: AI Boom Gives Mac Sales an Unexpected Boost for Apple

May, 02, 2026-03:20

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AI Boom Gives Mac Sales an Unexpected Boost for Apple:

Apple delivered stronger-than-expected Mac sales in its latest quarter, driven in part by rising demand for AI-related workloads. While investors were mainly focused on iPhone performance and Services revenue, the Mac division quietly exceeded expectations.

Analysts had predicted Mac revenue would land slightly above $8 billion, but Apple reported $8.4 billion for the quarter ending March 28. Mac sales also grew 6% year-over-year, outperforming expectations of flat growth. Overall, the company posted total quarterly revenue of $111.2 billion, up 17% from the same period last year.

Apple credited part of the momentum to its recently launched MacBook Neo, which received a strong market response despite only being available for a few weeks during the quarter. Many shipments occurred later in March, while some customer demand reportedly spilled into April due to stock shortages.

During the earnings call, CEO Tim Cook said demand for the Neo was far higher than the company had anticipated. He also noted that Apple recorded a quarterly high in first-time Mac buyers, with the Neo helping attract new users to the platform.

Cook revealed that Apple was also surprised by growing interest in Macs as devices for running local AI models such as OpenClaw. Demand for the Mac mini and Mac Studio surged as developers and AI enthusiasts increasingly adopted them for AI and agentic computing tasks.

According to Cook, customer adoption of Macs for AI workloads accelerated faster than Apple expected, leading to supply shortages for some desktop models. He added that the Mac mini recently became the best-selling desktop computer in China, where interest in OpenClaw and local AI development has been particularly strong.

Despite the growth, Mac revenue remained mostly flat compared to the previous quarter, suggesting the AI-driven demand is still in its early stages. Cook said Apple may need several more months to fully balance supply and demand for the Mac mini and Mac Studio lineup.

Author: Kandi Srinivasa Reddy, Srinivasa Reddy Kandi, #KandiSrinivasaReddy, #SrinivasaReddyKandi