Tech
PCs sales still stink, but show signs of life
IDC's forecast for PC shipments in 2016 isn't as bad as expected. You can thank commercial sales.
The PC market is showing some signs of stabilization due to ultra slim notebooks and convertible devices, according to IDC.
IDC is now projecting PC shipments to decline by 6.4 percent in 2016. That decline is an improvement on IDC's previous forecast, which called for global PC shipments to fall 7.2 percent for the year. If you were to lump in detachable tablets to the 2016 forecast shipments would fall 3.2 percent.
In the third quarter, PC shipments fell 4.6 percent.
According to IDC, the PC market in 2017 will fall 2.1 percent as it claws back to growth. Nevertheless, there are pockets of PC strength. Consider:
- Commercial notebook shipments are expected to grow in 2016 and peak with growth of 3.7 percent in 2019.
- Ultra slim and convertible devices will be 63 percent of notebook shipments in 2020.
- PC-as-a-service plans are expected to refresh commercial PCs more often.