IDC: PC shipments down 13.9% for the first quarter, blames Windows 8

[nsane.forums]

A new report from IDC claims that PC shipments for the first quarter of 2013 went down 13.9 percent compared to the same period a year ago and claims Windows 8 "appears to have slowed the market."

The research firm IDC posted a report in March, predicting that for the entire year of 2013, PC shipments worldwide would contract by 1.3 percent. Today, IDC issued their report on PC shipments for the first quarter of 2013 and the results were even worse than what the firm had expected.

IDC says that there were 76.3 million PC units shipped during the first three months of the year, which is 13.9 percent lower than the same period a year ago. IDC previously predicted first quarter 2013 PC shipments would go down but by just 7.7 percent.

What's the culprit? IDC points the finger squarely at Microsoft and the launch of Windows 8 as the main reason for the lower number of PC shipments. Part of the reason is that Windows 8 PCs with touchscreens and slim designs have been "hampered by traditional barriers of price and component supply." However, IDC says that the design of Windows 8 itself is also to blame.

Bob O'Donnell, IDC Program Vice President, Clients and Displays, states:

While some consumers appreciate the new form factors and touch capabilities of Windows 8, the radical changes to the UI, removal of the familiar Start button, and the costs associated with touch have made PCs a less attractive alternative to dedicated tablets and other competitive devices. Microsoft will have to make some very tough decisions moving forward if it wants to help reinvigorate the PC market.

IDC also says that the current restructuring issues that are affecting two of the major PC makers, HP and Dell, have not helped the PC market. Lenovo seems to be an exception, with IDC claiming that it "continues to execute on a solid 'attack' strategy." Microsoft is scheduled to reveal its first quarter 2013 financial results on Thursday, April 18th. Hopefully we should get some more color about Windows 8 sales at that time.

View: Original Article

[shamu726]

IDC: PC shipments in Q1 faced their steepest known drop to date

If Windows 8 is the ticket to a bounce-back in PC sales, it's going to be a long, slow recovery. At least, as long as you ask IDC. It estimates that worldwide computer shipments in the first quarter of 2013 fell 13.9 percent to 76.3 million, which is the steepest quarterly drop the research firm has recorded since it started tracking PCs back in 1994. While the exact factors at work aren't clear, IDC blames it on a mix of customers spooked by Windows 8's unfamiliar interface, the continued rise of mobile devices, and the decline of the netbook. This isn't helped by the higher typical prices of touchscreen PCs, or by restructuring efforts at computing giants like Dell and HP.

Who's reigning in this apparently declining PC empire, then? Worldwide, it's a different picture than it was a few months ago: HP is back on top at 15.7 percent, followed by Lenovo, Dell, Acer and ASUS. The American climate is somewhat more familiar, with HP in front at 25.1 percent while being chased by Dell, Apple, Toshiba and Lenovo. With the exception of Lenovo, however, virtually all of the manufacturers involved saw at least some decline in their PC shipments. To IDC, that's a sign that vendors and Microsoft need to find an antidote to the crazes for smartphones and tablets -- and find it quickly.

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/10/idc-pc-shipments-in-q1-faced-their-steepest-drop-known-to-date/'>engadget