Worldwide PC shipments increased by just 2.7% in the second quarter of 2011 compared to a forecast of 2.9% for the quarter, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker.
Consumers’ cautious spending due to economic fears, PC saturation in mature markets, and budget cannibalisation from competing devices, such as media tablets, is expected to contribute to weak growth in the second half of the year.
IDC has slightly lowered its forecast for 2012 from 10.2% to 9.3% year-over-year growth due to poor conditions persisting, and aggravated by increased concerns relating to US and European economic growth.
IDC expects growth to be around 11% for 2013 through 2015.
Although shipments during the second quarter were on target, PC buying in mature markets remained weak, especially among small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and consumers.
Western Europe, beset by persistent sovereign debt fears and a satiated consumer base, dropped more than 20% compared to a year ago, while the US declined by almost 5%.
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Enterprise spending held up as expected and emerging regions continued to show good momentum, as evidenced by China overtaking the US to become the largest PC market in the world.
Growth in emerging markets remains in double-digits, offsetting declines in more mature regions as the shift in growth to emerging countries accelerates, the IDC tracker said.
Worldwide PC Tracker senior research analyst Jay Chou said the proposed spin-off of HP’s PC business has also contributed to uncertainty in the market as the channel and corporate users re-evaluate their next steps.
Worldwide PC shipments for the full year are expected to grow by just 2.8% in 2011, a slight downward revision from the previous forecast of 4.2%, IDC said.
