Worldwide PC shipments are expected to reach 367.8 million units in 2010, a decline of 8.8 million units from previous projection of 376.6 million units, but an increase of 19.2% compared to 308.3 million units shipped in 2009, according to a new preliminary forecast by Gartner.
For the second-half of 2010, the research firm has decreased its estimates of PC growth to 15.3% from its previous projection of 17.3%, due to the uncertain economic outlook for the US and Western Europe.
Gartner research director Ranjit Atwal said that there is no doubt that consumer, if not business PC demand has slowed relative to expectations in mature markets.
"Recent dramatic shifts in the PC supply chain were in no small part a reaction to fears of a sharp slowdown in mature-market demand; however, suppliers’ risk-aversion is as much a factor in these shifts as any actual downshift in demand," Atwal said.
Worldwide mini-notebooks share of mobile PC shipments decreased for the second consecutive quarter in 2010 to 18% from 20% of the total mobile PC shipments in late 2009, and is estimated to further decrease to 10% by late 2014.
Gartner research analyst Raphael Vasquez said that the firm still think the mini-notebook has a place in the mobile PC market, but not as a substitute for a standard mobile PC.
"Indeed, the recent decline in mini-notebooks’ share of the mobile PC market reflects a general realisation among buyers that mini-notebooks are less-than-perfect substitutes for standard low-end laptops," Vasquez said.
"Buyers who once would have bought a mini-notebook based solely on its low price now seem more inclined to buy a low-end standard notebook, especially since the prices of the two have converged. Mini-notebooks are slowly but surely carving out a market niche for themselves as companion devices. However, the emergence of media tablets is a growing threat to that niche."
