Gartner, IDC say 2Q PC shipments fell 11 percent
Source: AP-Excite
By BARBARA ORTUTAY
NEW YORK (AP) - Worldwide shipments of personal computers fell 11 percent in the April-June period, according to data from research firms Gartner and IDC, as people continued to migrate to tablets and other mobile devices.
Gartner Inc. said Wednesday that the PC industry is now experiencing the longest decline in its history, as shipments dropped for the fifth consecutive quarter. Computer makers shipped 76 million PCs in the April-June period, down from 85 million in the same three months of 2012, according to Gartner.
International Data Corp., which uses slightly different methodology, essentially came to the same conclusion, though it noted that the decline was slightly smaller than expected.
"With second quarter growth so close to forecast, we are still looking for some improvement in growth during the second half of the year," said Jay Chou, senior analyst at IDC, in a statement. "Slower growth in Europe and China reflect the risks, while the improved U.S. outlook reflects potential improvement."
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Those of my clients who are still reeling from the ongoing Bush/GOP depression have essentially stopped buying anything they don't absolutely have to, including replacements for their 7-year-old XP computers with P4 processors. They aren't buying tablets instead of PC's. They just aren't buying anything.
On the other hand, those of my clients who are doing well are both hiring and replacing/adding computers. They may buy tablets too, but only in addition to the PC, not as a substitute. There is still a need and demand for PC's.
Another factor, of course, is the silly Windows 8 debacle (i.e., Microsoft's latest venture down "Vista Lane."
As a matter of course, every computer I provide a client has Windows 7 on it unless they specifically request Windows 8. Of course, I have to "fix" Windows 8 so they can use it properly (i.e., restore the start button and things like that.) The much talked about WIndows 8 SP1 due this fall is supposed to right some of the many wrongs of Windows 8 but, sadly, it really doesn't. For example, the promise of "the return of the Start button" is nothing of the sort. All it will do is switch the interface back to the metro interface -- something you can already do with the "jewels." Microsoft is about as likely to admit their mistakes as Dubya!
