Techno Gimp: PC shipments see the steepest decline ever

Thursday, April 11, 2013

PC shipments see the steepest decline ever - blame tablets and smartphones

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PC shipments see the steepest decline ever - blame tablets and smartphones. Tablets, PC, Apple, HP, Dell, Acer, Toshiba, Lenovo 0

PC shipments worldwide during the first quarter of 2013 totaled 76.3 million, leading to the biggest decline for the market yet, as customers turn their attention (and money) towards smartphones and tablets.

According to the IDC, which has been tracking the PC market since 1994, the PC shipments fell?13.9 per cent compared to the amount sold in the first quarter of 2012. The numbers are worse than the forecasted decline of 7.7 per cent. IDC defines?PCs as desktops, portables, mini notebooks, and workstations, but do not include handhelds, x86 servers, or tablets.

During the first quarter, HP remained in the lead as the top vendor with 15.7 per cent marketshare, but posted a?23.7 per cent decline from the year ago quarter. The market followed with Lenovo at 15.3 per cent with zero growth or decline, Dell with a 10.9 per cent decline, Acer with a 31.3 per cent decline, and ASUS rounding out the top five with a 19.2 per cent decline.?

"Although the reduction in shipments was not a surprise, the magnitude of the contraction is both surprising and worrisome," said David Daoud at IDC. "The industry is going through a critical crossroads, and strategic choices will have to be made as to how to compete with the proliferation of alternative devices and remain relevant to the consumer."

The influx of consumers taking their spending away from traditional PCs for other devices is being blamed, but perhaps the bigger blame is at Microsoft for not creating enough buzz around Windows 8 when it was launched last autumn.

"While some consumers appreciate the new form factors and touch capabilities of Windows 8, the radical changes to the UI, removal of the familiar Start button, and the costs associated with touch have made PCs a less attractive alternative to dedicated tablets and other competitive devices," said Bob O'Donnell at IDC.

Apple, who rounded out the list at sixth, is also feeling some pressure on the PC end as its own iPad took away from market share.?

On the company's Christmas-season earnings call, Apple announced a whopping?47.8 million iPhones and 22.9 million iPads sold. Mac sales set at 4.1 million, compared to 5.2 million?in the last quarter -- a solid decine.?“We established new all-time quarterly records for iPhone and iPad sales, significantly broadened our ecosystem, and generated Apple’s highest quarterly revenue ever,”?"said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s CFO.

The new numbers from the IDC signify tough times ahead for companies focused on PCs, but it's not like they haven't seen it coming. They have to focus on new markets which is something the leader, HP, has already noted.

We've reached out to IDC to clarify if the PC count includes devices like the Envy x2 that is a Windows 8 machine, in the form of a tablet.

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Tags: Tablets PC Apple HP Dell Acer Toshiba Lenovo