News
Worldwide PC Shipments Expected To Rise 10.9 Percent in 2008
Gartner predicted that worldwide PC shipments will be up 10.9 percent this year over last, although it also warned that strains on the economy could drop that number.
- By Becky Nagel
- March 26, 2008
Analyst firm Gartner predicted this week that worldwide PC shipments will be
up 10.9 percent this year over last, although it also warned that strains on
the economy could drop that number into single digits.
In 2007, PC shipments hit 264 million. Gartner expects that to rise to 293
million based on growth driven mainly by three factors: mobile computing, emerging
markets and the large number of companies who haven't replaced their PCs since
2004 or 2005, the last time Gartner saw a major cycle of replacements (although
it described the upcoming cycle as "more modest").
According to Gartner, emerging markets now account for 60 percent of worldwide
PC shipments, with growth in that area rising 22 percent in the last quarter
of 2007.
"Rapid economic growth [in emerging markets] is not only stimulating PC
demand among business, governments and educational institutions, but also generating
new demand among the ever-growing numbers of increasingly affluent consumers,"
George Shiffler, research director at Gartner, said in a release announcing
the findings.
Gartner also pointed to the increased demand for mobile computing -- driven by better mobile access and lower prices -- as another key driver. The company expects this area to continue to grow as lower-priced laptops become more widely available.
"In many respects, the PC market is fundamentally in good shape. Mobile
PCs continue to exhibit strong momentum, emerging-market growth remains robust
and desk-based PC replacement activity is stirring," Shiffler said.
However, he added, "Slowing GDP (gross domestic product) growth can and
does affect PC shipments through its impact on consumer incomes and business
profits...A deeper and more extended global slowdown emanating from the U.S.
and China would slow PC unit growth even more by sapping mobile PC demand, slowing
emerging-market growth and delaying replacement activity."
About the Author
Becky Nagel is the former editorial director and director of Web for 1105 Media's Converge 360 group, and she now serves as vice president of AI for company, specializing in developing media, events and training for companies around AI and generative AI technology. She's the author of "ChatGPT Prompt 101 Guide for Business Users" and other popular AI resources with a real-world business perspective. She regularly speaks, writes and develops content around AI, generative AI and other business tech. Find her on X/Twitter @beckynagel.