Stamford, Conn. –
Gartner is projecting continued growth in the PC sector, albeit at a slower
pace than originally anticipated.
The research firm
is pegging 2011 worldwide PC growth to total 364 million units, up 3.8 percent
from 2010. Growth will continue in 2012 with 404 million units shipping, a 10.9
percent increase.
However, for both
years growth is down from what Gartner originally projected. The company
expected 2011 growth to be 9.3 percent, followed by 12.8 percent in 2012.
Weak sales in the
United States and Western Europe are the culprit for the unexpected downturn due
to poor economic conditions and excess inventory.
Although the final
numbers are not in, Gartner believes the 2011 back-to-school selling period was
not strong, and it does not expect consumers and businesses to open up their
wallets until a firmer indication is in place concerning the world’s economy.
Adding to the PCs
problem is the growth of tablet PCs, which give consumers an additional place
to spend their money.
“Media
tablets have dramatically changed the dynamic of the PC market and HP’s
decision to rethink its PC strategy simply highlights the pressure that PC
vendors are under to adapt to the new dynamic or abandon the market,” said
George Shiffler, research director at Gartner. “Vendors’ tried and true
business models are failing as traditional PC functionality is extended to
other devices, and users continue to lengthen PC lifetimes.”
