Asia's PC market rebounds from financial crisis, says data
FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--Asia's personal computer markets appear to be recovering from the impact of the region's financial crisis with PC shipments rising 7% in the fourth quarter last year compared to the same period in 1997, according to new data released here by International Data Corp. (IDC).
"With the fourth-quarter results, there is reason for guarded optimism looking toward 1999," said Kitty Fok, research manager of IDC Asia/Pacific. "If market conditions in China, India and Australia remain healthy, the regional PC market should generate solid gains in 1999 producing the highest annual shipment total to date for the regional market."
Asia's fourth-quarter PC shipments marked the first time that unit volumes were higher in 1998 than they were a year earlier, according to IDC. Regional PC shipments reached 2.89 million units in the final three months of 1998, according to the preliminary data from the Asia/Pacific marketplace. That level was the highest volume ever for Asia in a three-month period, said the market research firm.
For the entire year, however, PC shipments in Asia were lower. IDC's preliminary findings show 10.47 million PCs were shipped in 1998 compared to 10.54 million units in 1997, a drop of 0.6%.
In 1999, PC shipments in the Asian/Pacific region are expected to grow by more than 14%, according to IDC.
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