PC market declining slower than predicted, says IDC
The weakening of the traditional desktop may not be new information to those following the technology industry, but it appears that the story does not end there. Recent reports show that the previous prediction of a 6.1 percent decrease in PC shipments from 2013 to 2014 has improved to 6 percent.
While a .1 percent increase may not seem like much, it means that the number of units shipped may be a few million more than originally predicted. Those who were once convinced that the market was doomed could soon be singing a more positive tune.
The emergence and rapid evolution of the tablet PC market posed a looming threat for the traditional desktop, particularly in the business realm. As months went on and manufacturers’ began to compete to create the lightest, thinnest, and fastest tablets, it was slowly accepted that this would spell the end for desktops.
In 2013, several technology industry analyses forecasted the decline and eventual death of the traditional desktop computer. The decline was predicted to be gradual, with the number of desktop productions and shipments steadily decreasing over the next three years as businesses move to notebooks and handheld devices for employees.
During 1Q14, worldwide PC shipments reached 7.6 million units according to IDC. Compared to 1Q13, this decrease of 1.7 percent suggests that the decline of the PC is happening, but slower than originally anticipated.
But for the business world, it’s not quite time to ring the death tolls for the PC. Desktop units continue to be an integral part of most office and home-office environments, providing plenty of storage space and more options in terms of monitor real estate.
While many laptops and tablets can now provide the same amount of storage space as traditional desktop computers, the sturdy size and reliability of desktop PCs give business users the power, control, and legroom to accomplish tasks.
Rapid evolution within the technology industry is not only cumbersome, but expensive. Companies like IT Xchange make it easier for businesses to save money by keeping their current machinery running longer, but much like in the tablet/smartphone market desktop PC designs continue to move toward thinner, lighter, faster models, making n-1 generations obsolete faster than ever before.
Factors such as steadying economic indicators and a slower demand for tablets have contributed to the slightly weakened drop-off for PC shipments. It is important to note that, though the decline in PC shipments has taken a slightly unexpected turn in the short term, the smartphone and tablet market continues to dominate and will undoubtedly remain on top for a while in terms of shipments.
