Asia-Pacific PC shipment down 11.5 percent: Gartner

PC shipment numbers across the Asia-Pacific region have plunged 11.5 percent in the second quarter of 2013 compared with the previous corresponding year, a slightly higher rate of decline than the global average, according to Gartner.

The analyst firm recorded a 10.9 percent worldwide PC shipment drop in its latest figures, marking five quarters of continual decline. This is the longest period of decline in the history of the PC market, according to Gartner.

Asia-Pacific PC shipment numbers were over 26.8 million, and all markets across the region showed a weakness. China continues to suffer soft demand for PCs as it fails to put in initiatives to drive consumer demand, such as subsidised PC programs in rural cities, Gartner said.

"In emerging markets, inexpensive tablets have become the first computing device for many people, who are best at deferring the purchase of a PC," Gartner principal analyst Mikako Kitagawa said in a statement. "This is also accounting for the collapse of the mini notebook market."

HP and Lenovo are continuing their tango for the title of top PC vendor. This quarter, according to the Gartner figures, Lenovo has won the game, but the vendor has been experiencing more severe PC shipment decline in specific regions, including in China, its main market.

China has been targeted by HP as it wrestles with ever-decreasing PC demand. It has doubled its efforts to nab Chinese customers, setting up research and development operations there to make products specifically designed for the region.

"If you look at desktops, notebooks, or tablets, there is no question there is a huge opportunity in China," HP printing and personal systems computing solutions, accessories, and services vice president for Asia-Pacific Anneliese Olson said last month. "China is at the centre of what we are doing right now."

Globally, Dell is ranked as the third-largest PC vendor, according to Gartner figures. The company has managed to reduce its PC shipment decline compared with previous quarters, and is showing good growth in the US and Japan, but is suffering in Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle-East, and Africa.

Gartner has yet to release PC shipment figures for each country in the Asia-Pacific region.