IDC Forecasts Healthy Worldwide Q1 2000 PC Demand with 20% Unit Growth over Q1 1999
Impact of Y2K Slowdown Dissipates
FRAMINGHAM, Mass., March 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Unit volume in the worldwide PC
market this quarter is expected to grow 20% year over year, according to
forecast data released today by IDC. With the traditionally slower first
quarter in full swing, PC shipments are expected to decline 9% from Q4 1999.
The ongoing pattern of strong global consumer demand continues, but will
fall below the levels established during the seasonally high fourth quarter.
Commercial market slowness tied to Y2K concerns has largely faded, yielding
flat sequential volume in a quarter in which demand typically drops from the
prior quarter.
"With Y2K fears largely over and the introduction of Microsoft's Windows
2000, businesses will start picking up the pace of upgrades," said John
Brown,
research director of IDC's Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker. "IDC expects the
commercial market to show more robust growth this year than last, starting
with a pickup in demand this quarter."
Asia/Pacific and Japan will lead the way in PC sales for the quarter with
32% growth each over Q1 1999. Both Asia/Pacific and Japan will continue to
benefit from strong consumer demand as price points decline and interest in
new desktop designs increase; consumer growth will top 68% and 45% in the
regions, respectively.
In the United States, IDC expects Q1 growth to reach 20%, slightly
benefiting from the easing of last quarter's tight supply of chips and
memory,
as held-over demand will be met. Western Europe Q1 year-over-year unit
growthis pegged at 10.9%, with sequential volumes declining 22% as retail
competition and Internet demand will drive consumer sales.
Vendors
IDC believes the key to vendor growth this quarter is related to strategic
alignment with growing consumer and small business segments. In addition,
positioning in the U.S. and Asia/Pacific markets will be especially
important.
Finally, solid Internet strategies and the ability to deliver portable PCs
involume will also be keys to growth. Vendors that appear to have the "right
stuff" for growth this quarter are Dell, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, and
Apple. |
