[opendtv] Weak PC market in Q1 surprises Gartner

From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2011 18:33:04 -0500
I wouldn't find it a bit surprising if tablets took some of the market share 
from laptops and notebooks. Or what they suggest, that people deferred buying 
the PC, in order to buy their tablet. In any case, a total 1.1 percent drop in 
1Q11 hardly seems enormous.

And I'm positive that laptops and notebooks have taken a considerable bite out 
of desktop PC sales.

Bert

---------------------------------
Weak PC market in Q1 surprises Gartner
Peter Clarke 
4/14/2011 12:54 PM EDT 
LONDON - Worldwide PC shipments totaled 84.3 million units in the first quarter 
of 2011, a 1.1 percent decline from the first quarter of 2010, according to 
preliminary results from market research firm Gartner Inc. This is below 
Gartner's previous forecast of 3 percent growth in 1Q11.

Gartner (Stamford, Connecticut) counts personal computers as desk-based PCs, 
mobile PCs, including notebooks and mini-notebooks but not media tablets such 
as the Apple iPad.

Although the first quarter is traditionally a slow one for PC sales this 
figures represent a year-on-year slowdown.  

Steady growth in the professional PC sector, driven by the replacement cycle, 
did not make up for sluggishness in consumer spending as home computer users 
either deferred spending or bought into the tablet form factor.

"Weak demand for consumer PCs was the biggest inhibitor of growth," said Mikako 
Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner, in a statement. "Low prices for 
consumer PCs, which had long stimulated growth, no longer attracted buyers. 
Instead, consumers turned their attention to media tablets and other consumer 
electronics. With the launch of the iPad2 in February, more consumers either 
switched to buying an alternative device, or simply held back from buying PCs. 
We're investigating whether this trend is likely to have a long-term effect on 
the PC market."

Without the professional segment growth, the PC market could have experienced 
one of the worst declines in its recent history. Replacement sales will 
generally continue into late 2011 or the start of 2012, with some variations 
between different regions and market segments.

HP performed below the worldwide average, but maintained the No. 1 position, 
accounting for 17.6 percent of worldwide PC shipments in the first quarter of 
2011. HP was impacted by weak consumer PC demand, as well as growing issues in 
Asia/Pacific. Acer continued to face challenges as the mini-notebook market was 
impacted by media tablets, and its shipments declined 12.2 percent.

In the first quarter of 2011, Dell experienced a shipment decline 
year-over-year for the first time in six quarters. Dell underperformed in the 
U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Latin America, but it 
achieved strong growth in Asia/Pacific. Lenovo experienced the strongest growth 
among the top five vendors (16.6 percent) as it continued to price its products 
very competitively in both the consumer and professional sectors. It achieved 
strong growth across all regions.

In the U.S., PC shipments totaled 16.1 million units in the first quarter of 
2011, a 6.1 percent decline from the first quarter of 2010. 


Preliminary Worldwide PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 1Q11 (Units) 

[I abbreviated the table. Go to the URL to get the rest.]

Company       1Q11-1Q10 Growth (%) 
 
HP
 14,797,299    -3.4
 
Acer Group    -12.2
 
Dell           -2.2
 
Lenovo         16.6
 
Toshiba         5.3
 
Others         -0.2
 
Total          -1.1

Source: Gartner (April 2011)

Note: Data includes desk-based PCs, mobile PCs, including mini-notebooks but 
not media tablet such as the iPad.

 
 
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[opendtv] Weak PC market in Q1 surprises Gartner

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