IDC Forecasts Stronger PC Growth in 2nd Half of 2012 (MSFT, INTC, AAPL)
PC shipments in the second half of 2011 grew by a less-than-robust 1.8% and the first half of 2012 is expected to see only modest growth. That should change by the second half of the year with the release of…
IDC attributes the slowing growth of PC shipments to rising purchases of mobile devices like the iPad from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL). In developed markets like the US and Europe, PC shipments actually fell by -9% in 2011.
An IDC spokesman said:
Many consumers are holding off making PC purchases at the moment because tablet devices like Apple’s iPad are proving to be a powerful distraction. However, end user surveys tell us that few people consider media tablets as replacements for their PCs, so later this year when there is a new Microsoft operating system, available in sleek new PC form factors, we believe consumer interest in PCs will begin to rebound.
The research firm forecasts full-year shipment growth in 2012 at 5%.
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Paul Ausick has been writing for 247Wallst.com for more than a decade. He has written extensively on investing in the energy, defense, and technology sectors. In a previous life, he wrote technical documentation and managed a marketing communications group in Silicon Valley.
He has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Chicago and now lives in Montana, where he fishes for trout in the summer and stays inside during the winter.