PC industry expansion attributed to corporate ventures, according to Gartner
In a significant forecast, technology research firm Gartner predicts a 9.3% increase in PC shipments worldwide in 2011, amounting to 385 million units. This growth is attributed to several key factors, most notably the increased appetite for new PCs among businesses.
According to Gartner analyst Raphael Vasquez, businesses have started to upgrade their old systems, a trend that is partly attributed to the release of a new version of Microsoft's operating system, Windows 7. The growing urgency for businesses to migrate away from Windows XP is expected to drive significant professional replacements.
Ranjit Atwal, another Gartner researcher, stated that the advent of tablet PCs has delayed consumer laptop purchases, but the direct substitution of laptops with tablets will be minimal. Instead, media tablets, such as the iPad, have caused consumers to delay new mobile PC purchases. However, the impact of media tablets on mobile PC growth is more about delaying purchases rather than replacing aging mobile PCs with tablets.
The trend of businesses upgrading their PCs is a response to the recession and the need to modernise their systems. During the economic downturn, businesses have been extending the lifetimes of their old systems. However, with the return of IT budgets after the recession, enterprises have begun replacing aging PCs more vigorously.
Gartner often highlighted that in 2011, consumer demand grew as emerging markets expanded their access to technology. The market saw growth in notebooks/laptops driven by increasing mobility needs. Enterprises were upgrading PCs due to a return in IT budgets after the recession.
Despite the threat of Japanese component disruptions, PC vendors have managed the situation effectively. George Shiffler, another Gartner researcher, noted that the effects of the Japanese earthquake and nuclear disasters on PC vendors have been minor.
In summary, the growth in the global PC market in 2011 is primarily driven by enterprise refresh cycles post-recession, consumer adoption in emerging markets, and notebook demand spurred by mobility and new OS launches. This forecast presents a promising outlook for the PC industry, as businesses and consumers alike continue to seek out the latest technology.
- Businesses are not only upgrading their PCs due to the need for modernization, but they are also looking to replace outdated systems with newer ones, such as those running on the latest version of Microsoft's operating system, Windows 7.
- As consumers in emerging markets gain access to technology, the demand for smartphones and other gadgets powered by cutting-edge technology is expected to spike, potentially creating opportunities for businesses in the tech sector.
