If the recession isn’t over for the PC industry, a recovery certainly seems at hand. Worldwide PC shipments are expected to total 376.6 million units in 2010, according to Gartner. That’s a 22 percent increase from the year-ago period.
Of course, shipments are one thing, revenues are another. But there’s also good news there. Gartner estimates worldwide PC spending will reach $245.4 billion in 2010. That’s up a healthy 12 percent from 2009, and it’s driven, in large part, by the home PC market. The home PC market will post nearly 30 percent growth this year compared to 13.1 percent growth in the business market.
“PC demand in the consumer segment continues to strengthen even though the global economy remains uncertain. Consumers are now viewing PCs as necessities rather than luxury items,” said Ranjit Atwal, principal research analyst at Gartner. “In the downturn, PCs remained the electronic device of choice on which to spend household income in mature markets, and we do not expect this to change either in 2010 or beyond.”
Replacing Old PCs
Companies that have been holding out through the recession may be about ready to spend on PCs. Indeed, Atwal said aging PCs will drive replacements in that market. In fact, he said, organizations will find it tougher to further extend PC life cycles without incurring more costs.
Atwal said this, together with the adoption of Windows 7, will generate robust demand in the professional market. Larger businesses expect to start replacements in the second half of 2010, Atwal said, with the majority replaced in 2011. He now expects Windows 7 migration to last through 2012. But there is some uncertainty around PC refreshes in corporate settings.
“A lot of the folks I’ve spoken to are talking about using Windows 7 as a way to extend the life of their PCs….