Reuters
IDC raises 2002 PC unit sales outlook slightly
Friday December 6, 1:00 am ET
NEW YORK, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Technology market research firm IDC on Friday slightly raised its forecast for worldwide personal computer sales this year, saying that aggressive pricing during the Thanksgiving weekend helped keep consumer sales strong.
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"We're not sure anybody is going to make any money this quarter, but they're going to move a bundle," said IDC analyst Roger Kay in an interview.
Sales of personal computers to businesses remained weak, he said, with corporate buyers still on the sidelines. Companies have cut back on buying new technology as they worry about their bottom lines amid the slow economy.
IDC projected unit sales of PCs worldwide in 2002 of 136.2 million, up 1.6 percent from 2001. That's a slight change from early September when it forecast 2002 unit sales of 135.5 million, a rise of 1.1 percent from 2001.
That's still 2.6 percent below the market's peak in 2000, IDC said.
IDC said that it expects PC shipments to remain slow in the next several quarters before accelerating in the latter half of 2003 as corporations begin buying again.
For 2003, IDC said that it sees shipments growing 8.3 percent, almost unchanged from its previous outlook for unit sales of 147.5 million. In 2004, it sees sales rising 11 percent to 163.8 million units.
Dell Computer Corp. (NasdaqNM:DELL - News) is the world's No. 1 personal computer maker followed closely by Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE:HPQ - News), which bought Compaq Computer earlier this year. |
