By: Aseem Gaurav on July 12, 2012
Worldwide sales of personal computers shrunk by 0.1 per cent in the second quarter, underscoring the weakening interest in these devices, according to a research released by Gartner.
“Consumers are less interested in spending on PCs as there are smartphones and media tablets that they are purchasing,” said Mikako Kitagawa, analyst at Gartner.
Gartner said the PC market took a beating for the seventh consecutive quarter of flat to single-digit growth.
During the period, Hewlett-Packard retained the top spot in PC shipments, while Lenovo inched closer to the global giant. The research firm said the reason for Lenovo’s success is because of its aggressive pricing and acquisitions.
The numbers are indicative of the shifting consumer trends which point towards the growing popularity of the tablets and smartphones. An earlier report by market research firm NPD Group suggested that a growing number people are now using their tablets and smartphones – to do common tasks like email, internet, and social networking, rather than on their own PCs. Thus, leading to decline in PC usage.
Country-wise, PC shipments in the US fell by 5.7 per cent year over year, while in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) it grew by 1.9 percent. Shipments in Asia-Pacific also grew by 2 per cent. Tight government and education budgets contributed to the U.S. decline, Gartner said.
The most effected as a result of the slowdown are chip makers as well as PC makers.
Pointing out the reasons behind the slowdown, Gartner attributed it to slower spending in Europe, an uneven economic recovery in the U.S, and dominance of Apple’s iPad and other tablets.
Despite these challenging conditions, there is some hope for PC market in form of lightweight laptops known as Ultrabooks, which are supported by Intel Corp.
Worldwide sales of personal computers shrunk by 0.1 per cent in the second quarter, underscoring the weakening interest in these devices, according to a research released by Gartner.
“Consumers are less interested in spending on PCs as there are smartphones and media tablets that they are purchasing,” said Mikako Kitagawa, analyst at Gartner.
Gartner said the PC market took a beating for the seventh consecutive quarter of flat to single-digit growth.
During the period, Hewlett-Packard retained the top spot in PC shipments, while Lenovo inched closer to the global giant. The research firm said the reason for Lenovo’s success is because of its aggressive pricing and acquisitions.
The numbers are indicative of the shifting consumer trends which point towards the growing popularity of the tablets and smartphones. An earlier report by market research firm NPD Group suggested that a growing number people are now using their tablets and smartphones – to do common tasks like email, internet, and social networking, rather than on their own PCs. Thus, leading to decline in PC usage.
Country-wise, PC shipments in the US fell by 5.7 per cent year over year, while in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) it grew by 1.9 percent. Shipments in Asia-Pacific also grew by 2 per cent. Tight government and education budgets contributed to the U.S. decline, Gartner said.
The most effected as a result of the slowdown are chip makers as well as PC makers.
Pointing out the reasons behind the slowdown, Gartner attributed it to slower spending in Europe, an uneven economic recovery in the U.S, and dominance of Apple’s iPad and other tablets.
Despite these challenging conditions, there is some hope for PC market in form of lightweight laptops known as Ultrabooks, which are supported by Intel Corp.
