Gartner predicts fall in PC sales in Europe, US

By Steve Malone

Posted on 13 Mar 2006 at 10:32

Sales of PCs are set to slow this year according to the latest forecasts from analysts Gartner.

In a recent report the company says that worldwide growth in the sales of PCs will slow, with sales in 'mature' markets such as the Europe and the United States actually falling.

According to the report, global shipments of PCs will reach 234.5 million units in 2006, a 10.7 per cent increase over the 2005 shipments figure of 211.8 million units. However, in 2005, shipments rose by 15.5 per cent over 2004.

In the mature markets such as the United States and Western Europe, desktop PC shipments are predicted to fall by 8.6 per cent. That decline will be offset by a 19.5 per cent increase in desktop PC shipments this year to emerging markets such as India and China. Overall, the number of desktop PC shipments is projected to grow by 1.9 per cent this year.

The figures in the report are borne out by recent forecasts from market leaders Dell and Intel who have both predicted that their sales figures are not likely to be as rosy this year as last. Much of the blame for the fall off in sales is put down to the uncertainty as to when Microsoft plans to ship its next generation Windows Vista operating system. Many companies will be delaying their purchases until they can take delivery of machines with the new OS installed.

Things are a little better in the notebook sector. The Gartner report forecasts that worldwide mobile PC shipments will grow 31.4 per cent in 2006. In mature markets, mobile PC shipments will increase 22.1 percent. In the emerging markets shipments are forecast to leap by a staggering 38.7 per cent.