Global PC shipments expected to grow 1.4% in 2021: Report

Global PC shipments including desktops, notebooks and tablets for full-year 2021 are expected to increase by 1.4 per cent according to a recent PC market outlook report by Canalys.

According to the report, PC shipments are expected to grow 35 per cent year-over-year in Q4 2020, clocking 143 million units.

This will bring total PC shipments in 2020 to 458 million units, an annual increase of 17 per cent.

“The need for personal computing devices for skilled workers and students remains at an unprecedented high despite significant increases in supply. Growth in this sector will spill over into 2021,” Canalys said in an official release.

PC shipments are expected to grow 43 per cent YoY in the first quarter of 2021 as compared to a weak Q1 2020.

“Shipments for full-year 2021 are expected to increase a further 1.4 per cent following an extraordinary year for PCs in 2020,” it said.

“While the global pandemic has provided a huge short-term demand boost, the PC industry has plenty more to look forward to in the years ahead. At Canalys, we identified four key trends that will drive PC market growth in 2021 and beyond: remote working, digital learning, device as a service and emerging use cases,” said Rushabh Doshi, Research Director at Canalys.

“As vaccines start to roll out and we enter a post-COVID world, behavioral changes among both businesses and consumers will place greater emphasis on PC use, leading to a host of new opportunities not just in hardware, but also in software and services. Meanwhile, the larger installed base driven by more use cases and broader demographics will provide a host of new opportunities,” Doshi said.

“Security and connectivity will be key focuses in a post-COVID world, where businesses formalize their remote- and flexible-working policies for employees. PCs with stronger security standards will be integral to future solutions and will be expected from vendors and channel partners, especially in industries such as financial services and the public sector. As travel, commuting, on-site work and emerging market demand for broadband alternatives increase, LTE and 5G connected PCs will see their popularity grow,” Doshi added.