IDC: Worldwide PC Shipments to Rebound in 2012

Posted 06/06/2011 at 8:53am | by Paul Lilly

3

Comments

Print

We've heard that the sky is falling in the PC market so many times that we've quit looking up. The truth of the matter is that no matter how popular tablets become and how much gaming consoles transform themselves into true media centers, the PC market is alive, well, and even thriving. This much was confirmed yet again, this time by research firm International Data Corp. (IDC), which is predicting a rebound of sorts in 2012.

Before we jump ahead, let's take a look at what IDC is predicting in the short term. According to IDC, worldwide PC shipments will "grow by just 4.2 percent in 2011, down from a February forecast of 7.1 percent." What you make of that statement will depend on your perspective, but regardless of missing an earlier forecast, the PC market is still growing, not declining.

Looking ahead, IDC still expects the PC market to grow at a double-digit clip of 10 to 11 percent annually between 2012 and 2015. That's still slower than what it's been in years past, a trend the IDC attributes to increasing competition from smartphones, tablets, eBook readers, and other connected devices.

"Nevertheless, IDC expects significant growth in both consumer and commercial markets to continue beyond 2011," IDC said. "New designs, chips, operating systems, features, and services, along with falling prices will continue to make PCs more powerful, affordable, and functional than ever before. Despite incursions by smartphones and media tablets, PCs have a large user base and ecosystem, and continue to represent the most comprehensive and affordable computing platform."

It's not just notebooks and netbooks driving growth either, though portable PCs play the biggest role. According to IDC, desktop PC shipments will grow by 0.8 percent in 2011, 3.6 percent in 2012, 1.4 percent in 2013, 1 percent in 2014, and 1.4 percent in 2015.