Good news guys: Q3 PC sales jump 23% in Asia Pacific region.
Jim and thread: Hope you find it heartening, hope Q4 will be as good.
November 17, 1997 (HONG KONG) -- PC shipments in the Asia-Pacific region, excluding Japan, increased 23 percent to 2.65 million units in the third quarter of this year.
However, the currency crisis that started in Southeast Asia in the same quarter is expected to cause severe slowdowns in several Southeast Asian markets in the fourth quarter of 1997 and into 1998.
According to preliminary results of research conducted by IDC Asia/Pacific, China showed the highest growth in the third quarter of 1997 with a 41-percent rise from the year-earlier period, thus extending its lead as the region's largest market with a 29-percent share. Following China are Korea, Australia and India.
IDC attributes the strong growth in India to the success of local assembly and the support of Intel Corp.
Performances were mixed among Southeast Asian countries.
While Singapore (up 19 percent) and Malaysia (up 22 percent) still managed brisk growth over the period, Indonesia and Thailand both recorded declines (down 5 percent and 6 percent respectively). The Philippines showed an increase of 6 percent.
IDC says shipments in Southeast Asia fell far short of earlier projections because of the economic crisis in the area.
With a 56-percent increase, IBM Corp. overtook both Compaq Computer Corp. and Samsung as the top seller in the third quarter of 1997, with 7.4 percent of the market, or 197,000 units. Other top sellers include Compaq (up 19 percent to 185,000 units), Samsung (up 37 percent to 175,000 units) and Acer (up 19 percent to 150,000 units).
The currency crisis in Southeast Asia is expected to affect PC demand in the fourth quarter of 1997 and into 1998. However, IDC says the worst effects of the crisis are largely limited to Southeast Asian countries.
The market showdown is expected to be severe in some Southeast Asian markets, particularly Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. According to the research company, the primary effects of devaluation of currencies on PC demand include higher prices, lower government spending, decreased consumer demand and less credit to fuel expansion efforts.
Excluding Southeast Asian markets, IDC expects regional PC growth to remain strong in the fourth quarter of 1997 and 1998.
Dane Anderson, PC research manager at IDC Asia/Pacific, says that exceptional growth rates in China and India, an expected rebound in Korea and steady growth in Australia, will offset the slowdown in Southeast Asia, to help bolster the regional PC expansion into 1998.
Table 1 Asia-Pacific* PC Shipment by Country/Region, July-September (3Q) 1997
Country/Region
Shipment (units)
Shipment Growth(%)
Share in A-P (%)
China
758,000
41.2
28.6
Korea
498,000
13.4
18.8
Australia
357,000
10.2
13.5
India
170,000
51.8
6.4
Taiwan
155,000
23.0
5.9
Hong Kong
108,000
25.6
4.1
Malaysia
104,000
22.4
3.9
Indonesia
102,000
-4.7
3.9
Singapore
96,000
18.5
3.6
Thailand
78,000
-6.0
2.9
New Zealand
52,000
8.3
2.0
Philippines
50,000
6.4
1.9
Others
118,000
40.5
4.5
Total
2,646,000
22.6
100.0
Source: IDC Asia/Pacific Note: *Excluding Japan
Table 2 Asia-Pacific* PC Shipments by Vendor, July-September (3Q) 1997
Vendor
Shipment (units)
Shipment Growth(%)
Share in A-P(%)
IBM
197,000
56.3
7.4
Compaq Computer
185,000
18.6
7.0
Samsung
175,000
36.7
6.6
Acer
150,000
19.0
5.7
Hewlett-Packard
115,000
47.4
4.3
Others
1,824,000
18.1
68.9
Total
2,646,000
22.6
100.0
Source: IDC Asia/Pacific Note: *Excluding Japan
(Keith Chan, Asia BizTech Correspondent)
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