PC shipments continue to slide

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PC shipments are still sliding, but it's not as bad as originally thought, according to reports by Gartner and IDC - could it be the light at the end of the tunnel for PC markets around the world?

According to a report issued by Gartner, worldwide PC shipments decreased five per cent in the second quarter of 2009 when compared to the previous year’s quarterly performance.

In contrast, IDC reported a 3.1 per cent decrease in total worldwide shipments between the second quarters of 2008 and 2009.

Both reports found that the markets performed better than expected. Gartner initially predicted a decrease of 9.8 per cent in total worldwide shipments for the second quarter of 2009, while IDC suggested a more conservative 6.3 per cent decline.

“Though the market was still in decline, the better than expected results can be interpreted as a small sign of a PC market recovery in terms of shipment volumes in some regions,” said Gartner analyst Mikako Kitagawa.

Europe still troubled

Both reports agreed that the Europe, Middle East, and African (EMEA) markets showed continued signs of trouble with quarter on quarter declines.

“The EMEA PC market in the second quarter of 2009 saw continued weakening,” said Ranjit Atwal, a Gartner analyst based in the EMEA.

He added: “Despite some return to seasonality trends, the EMEA PC market has not bottomed out yet.”

Both Gartner and IDC see portable, cheaper PCs as the primary drivers behind growth in all regions.

Commenting on the US market’s reliance on lower-end PCs and notebooks, Bob O’Donnell, vice president of Clients and Displays, said: “While the sequential growth may be a hint of recovery, the market's focus on lower-price PCs and mini notebooks is likely to drag the value of the market to lower levels.”

He added: "The market continues to rely on consumer purchases, with a substantial weakness in the commercial space.”

“We expect to see more of the same as we enter the busy shopping season of the second half of the year. In the longer term, an expected recovery in the commercial segment should boost growth in 2011.”

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