Robust growth in both the emerging markets and the professional PC market could not compensate for weak holiday consumer demand in the mature markets in the fourth quarter (calendar) of 2011, according to research firm Gartner.
As a result, PC sales worldwide dropped 1.4 per cent from the corresponding year-ago quarter, said preliminary results by the firm.
“Continuously low consumer PC demand resulted in weak holiday PC shipments,” said Mr Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner.
“While economic uncertainty in Western Europe had an effect on consumer PC shipments, expectations of a healthier economic outlook in North America could not stimulate consumer PC demand in that region.”
In the US, PC shipments totalled 17.9 million units, declining 5.9 per cent year-on-year, as consumer attention was diverted toward smart phones and media tablets.
PC shipments in Europe, Middle East and Africa totalled 28.9 million units, declining 9.6 per cent. In Asia/Pacific, PC shipments reached 30.4 million units, an 8.5 per cent increase from the fourth quarter of 2010. Gartner said this is below its anticipated growth of 10.6 per cent. The preliminary findings show weaker shipment growth in China, India and Thailand.
The PC market in Latin America grew 11.2 per cent, as shipments reached 9.3 million units.
LOWER PC SHIPMENT GROWTH THROUGH 2012
Hard-disk drive (HDD) shortages triggered by the October 2011 floods in Thailand had limited impact on fourth-quarter PC shipments and prices. However, Gartner analysts said a major impact will be felt, and this is expected to materialise in the first half of 2012, and potentially continue throughout 2012. These shortages will temporarily lower PC shipment growth during 2012.
Ultrabooks did not draw consumer attention, with only a small number willing to pay the price premium for them, said Gartner.
HP retained its No. 1 position in the fourth quarter of 2011, despite a shipment decline of 16.2 per cent year-on-year. In the second, third and fourth positions were Lenovo, Dell and the Acer Group . Lenovo took over the number two spot from Dell.
For the year, worldwide PC shipments totalled 352.8 million units in 2011, a 0.5 per cent increase from 2010.