How Big is Apple’s Tech Market Hold?

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) accounted for the largest share of consumer technology revenue generated in the U.S. last year while being the third-largest consumer tech retailer, according to new data released by The NPD Group. The iPhone maker accounted for 19.9 percent of all domestic consumer tech revenue, up from 17.3 percent in 2011.

Fierce smartphone rival Samsung (SSNLF.PK) came in second with 9.3 percent, up from 7 percent in 2011. Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HPQ), in third place, fell to an 8.2 percent share from 8.9 percent in 2011. Sony (NYSE:SNE) and Dell (NASDAQ:DELL), in fourth and fifth, dropped to 4.4 percent and 3 percent from 5.7 percent and 3.6 percent, respectively.

Apple and Samsung together accounted for $6.5 billion in increased sales, while the rest of the consumer technology industry saw a $9.5-billion decline. As a result, U.S. consumer technology sales fell 2 percent overall to $143 billion in 2012.

The top five categories for consumer electronics, accounting for 53 percent of the sales, were notebooks, flat-panel TVs, smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers — in that order. Tellingly, the only two categories in the top five to see year-over-year growth were tablets and smartphones…