2Q 2018: WolrdWide PC market share: Lenovo 21.9%, HP 21.9%, Dell 16.8%, says Gartner.

Worldwide PC shipments totaled 62.1 million units in the second quarter of 2018, a 1.4 percent increase from the second quarter of 2017, according to preliminary results by Gartner, Inc. This is the first quarter of year-over-year global PC shipment growth since the first quarter of 2012.

All regions experienced some growth compared with a year ago. While the results are a positive result for the PC industry, Gartner analysts said this sign of market stability is not enough to declare a PC industry recovery just yet.

"PC shipment growth in the second quarter of 2018 was driven by demand in the business market, which was offset by declining shipments in the consumer segment," said Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner. "In the consumer space, the fundamental market structure, due to changes on PC user behavior, still remains, and continues to impact market growth. Consumers are using their smartphones for even more daily tasks, such as checking social media, calendaring, banking and shopping, which is reducing the need for a consumer PC.

"In the business segment, PC momentum will weaken in two years when the replacement peak for Windows 10 passes. PC vendors should look for ways to maintain growth in the business market as the Windows 10 upgrade cycle tails off."

With the completion of Lenovo's joint venture with Fujitsu, three out of four PCs were shipped by the top five PC vendors in the second quarter of 2018. With the inclusion of Fujitsu’s PC shipments due to the joint venture (a formation of Joint Venture with Fujitsu), Lenovo was in a virtual tie with HP Inc. for the top spot in the second quarter of 2018 based on global PC shipments (see Table 1). All of the top five PC vendors experienced an increase in worldwide PC shipments in the quarter.

HP Inc. had its third consecutive quarter of year-over-year PC shipment growth. HP Inc. maintained steady growth across all regions, except the U.S. In the other regions, its shipment growth well exceeded the regional averages. Lenovo experienced its highest growth rate since the first quarter of 2015.

While Dell's competitors have shown PC shipment declines periodically in the past two years, Dell's shipments did not decline during this time because of its strong focus on growth areas, especially in the commercial segment, as well as cutting off unprofitable businesses.

PC shipments in EMEA reached 17.4 million units in the second quarter of 2018, a 1.3 percent increase year over year. In Western Europe, demand was strong for business PCs in Germany and the U.K. Eurasia, which includes Russia, remained the growth region in EMEA. While the second quarter is usually a slower quarter in terms of PC demand, several countries, such as Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, continued to see increasing consumer demand.

PC shipments in Asia/Pacific totaled 21.3 million units, a 0.1 percent increase from the second quarter of 2017. India, Indonesia, Thailand and other emerging markets in Asia showed improvement in the commercial segment due to demand for replacing aging PCs and upgrading to Windows 10. In China, PC shipments declined 3.6 percent year over year as some business procurements have been postponed to 2019, and the consumer market is saturated.

These results are preliminary. Final statistics will be available soon to clients of Gartner's PC Quarterly Statistics Worldwide by Region program. This program offers a comprehensive and timely picture of the worldwide PC market, allowing product planning, distribution, marketing and sales organizations to keep abreast of key issues and their future implications around the globe.

IFA 2017: Acer announces new ChromeBook 15 with Aluminun Design and long battery life.

New Acer Chromebook 15 with Aluminum Design Makes Entertainment More Enjoyable with Large Display and Long Battery Life

15.6-inch full HD IPS display lets media enthusiasts, families with school-age children, and anyone who wants immersive entertainment see and do much more; wide viewing angles make it great for sharing.

Extra-long battery life of up to 12 hours delivers day-till-night power for apps, entertainment, media streaming, social media, school work and more.

Aluminum top cover and palm rest provide a premium touch and feel

Fanless design provides for quiet operation

Upward-facing speakers surrounding the keyboard deliver premium sound to complement the spacious display for a great multimedia experience

Acer, the world’s leading Chromebook brand3, announced a new model in its award winning Chromebook 15 line – the only Chromebook in the industry with a 15.6-inch display – with a new stylish aluminum design and long battery life of up to 12 hours2.

In addition to having a large Full HD IPS1 display available in touch-screen and non-touch configurations, the new Acer Chromebook 15 (CB515-1H/1HT) delivers solid performance and up to 12 hours2 of battery life for all-day media consumption, game play, and app enjoyment.

“The new Acer Chromebook 15’s huge display is a visual feast,” said James Lin, General Manager, Commercial & Detachable Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer Inc. “Movies, apps, games and websites are immersive and the stunning display pairs beautifully with an aluminum design, quiet performance and up to 12 hours of battery life. The Chromebook 15 continues Acer’s legacy of delivering the most innovative Chromebooks in the industry and in the widest range of sizes.”

The Chromebook 15 will support Android apps via the Google Play™ Store when it is launched, so customers will have access to more than two million Android apps to let them have more fun, be entertained, stay connected and remain connected.

Large, Vibrant Display Boosted by Speakers, HD Web Cam

The vibrant 15.6-inch display lets users enjoy websites, video and games, and also increases productivity by providing more room for multiple tabs and apps. The Full HD display has a 1920 x 1080 resolution that ensures sharp visuals.

To complement the large display, the Acer Chromebook 15 has two full-sized upward-facing speakers that support high-definition audio and deliver enhanced volume and audio range. The full-sized keyboard and large touchpad are comfortable to use and give customers greater freedom when navigating.

The HD webcam has a wide 88-degree field of view to accommodate more participants in video chats at home and work. Also, audio and video are clear and crisp thanks to high dynamic range imaging and the built-in microphone.

Industry-Leading Battery Life; Quiet, Fanless Design

The new Acer Chromebook 15 delivers industry-leading battery life of up to 12 hours2, so it can be used for a full day of work or school plus streaming and fun. The fanless design allows it to run quietly, making it great for shared spaces such as in a family room, library or coffee shop.

The latest dual-core Intel® Celeron® and quad-core Intel® Pentium® processors deliver great performance for apps and the web. Models in the line will be available with 32 GB or 64 GB of eMMC storage as well as 4 GB or 8 GB of RAM.

Aesthetic, Thinner Aluminum Design

The Chromebook 15’s new design features an aluminum top cover and palm rest, giving it a stylish and modern design that is comfortable to touch and type on, and is also thinner and lighter than previous generations. It features a backlit keyboard allowing greater usability and weighs 1.72 kg (3.79 pounds) while measuring 378 W x 256 D x 18.9 H mm (14.88 W x 10.08 D x 0.74 H inches).

Staying Connected with Wi-Fi, USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C Port

The Acer Chromebook 15 keeps customers connected with fast Intel® Wireless-AC (802.11ac) wireless featuring 2x2 MIMO technology. Customers have the fastest way to transfer data, stream video and connect to an external display with the system’s two USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C ports. The USB Type-C adapter can also charge the unit. Also, customers can connect peripherals to the Chromebook 15 via Bluetooth 4.2, two USB 3.0, an HDMI port and a combo headphone/speaker jack. The SD card reader supports up to 128 GB SDXC for transferring and saving files.

Easy to Share, Manage

The Acer Chromebook 15 supports multiple user sign-on to keep data safe. Family members can share the system and log onto their unique accounts to ensure their projects, Gmail accounts and information are kept way from prying eyes, even if the Chromebook is damaged or stolen. Storage on Google Drive4 protects files, documents, and photos safely in the cloud, and ensures that the most current version is always available.

Price and Availability

The Acer Chromebook 15 will be available with either a touch screen display (CB515-1HT) or non-touch display (CB515-1H). It will be available in EMEA in October starting at €499. It will also be available in North America in October starting at $399, including the United States, where it will be offered at Best Buy and the Acer Store.  

Exact specifications, prices, and availability will vary by region. To learn more about availability, product specifications and prices in specific markets, please contact your nearest Acer office via www.acer.com.

The Acer Chromebook 15 was unveiled today at the next@acer press event at IFA in Germany, where the company announced a range of new devices and solutions. For more information, visit acer.com/nextatacer.

Offers subject to change without notice or obligation and may not be available through all sales channels. Prices listed are manufacturer suggested retail prices and may vary by location. Applicable sales tax extra. 

1. All brands and product names mentioned herein include trademarks of their respective companies and are used solely to describe or identify the products

2. Market Share: Final PCs, Ultramobiles and Mobile Phones, All Countries, 2Q17 Update, 17 August 2017. Acer Group was ranked #1 for shipment of UMT device group with Chrome OS in the 2016 global market.

3. More information on Google Drive on Chrome devices: https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/2703646?p=driveoffer&rd=1

4. More information on Google Drive on Chrome devices: https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/2703646?p=driveoffer&rd=1

1Q 2017: HP recovers top spot of worldwide PC market,says IDC .

Worldwide shipments of traditional PCs (desktop, notebook, workstation) totaled 60.3 million units in the first quarter of 2017 (1Q17), posting year-over-year growth of 0.6%, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker. The previous forecast had expected shipments to decline 1.8% in the quarter. And, while the 0.6% growth was arguably flat, the result nonetheless represented the first foray back into positive territory since Q1 2012, when many users still considered PCs their first computing device.

Like the second half of 2016, some of the same forces continue to shape the market. Tight supplies of key components such as NAND and DRAM are affecting inventory dynamics and led a number of vendors to boost shipments to lock in supply ahead of further cost increases. In addition, the market continued along a path of stabilization that began in the latter half of last year, especially as more commercial projects moved out of pilot mode and began shipments in earnest.

From a geographic perspective, mature markets again outdid emerging markets. All regions exceeded forecast except for the United States, although the U.S. posted just a slight decline. Despite the generally positive trends, Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan)(APeJ) and Latin America continued to see year-over-year volume declines.

"The traditional PC market has been through a tough phase, with competition from tablets and smartphones as well as lengthening lifecycles pushing PC shipments down roughly 30% from a peak in 2011," said Jay Chou, research manager, IDC PCD Tracker. "Nevertheless, users have generally delayed PC replacements rather than giving up PCs for other devices. 

The commercial market is beginning a replacement cycle that should drive growth throughout the forecast. Consumer demand will remain under pressure, although growth in segments like PC Gaming as well as rising saturation of tablets and smartphones will move the consumer market toward stabilization as well."

"The U.S. PC market had a weak opening quarter for the year with the consumer PC segment failing to impress after doing fairly well in the previous quarter," said Neha Mahajan, senior research analyst, Devices & Displays. "Apart from factors such as relatively improved commercial PC performance as well as a few component shortages, which continued to add to a better inventory situation, the overall PC performance for the quarter remained fairly sublime."

Regional Highlights

United States: The traditional PC market declined slightly year over year as notebook PCs saw sales slumping this quarter. After a strong holiday season at the end of 2016, the consumer PC market witnessed a comparative slow down this quarter with lower sell-out while the commercial PC market came out strong mostly backed by growth of Chromebooks. Overall, total PC shipments for 1Q17 totaled 13.3 million units.

Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA): The EMEA traditional PC market stabilized for the second consecutive quarter, thanks to strong notebook performance. The combination of backlogs, fulfillment from previous quarters, and solid mobility demand in enterprises boosted overall notebook shipments in 1Q17. However, desktops continued to erode, in line with expectations.

Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan): The APeJ market remained soft. Weakness in the consumer market persisted, as demand and shipments in many countries were impacted by price increases fueled by tight component supply. The pricing pressure was felt in the Chinese consumer market despite continuing strong demand for gaming and ultraslim notebooks. 

The commercial market in China performed better, driven by demand in the public sector. The education segment drove shipments in the commercial space, with several projects delivered throughout the region. India saw a rebound after the demonetization severely affected the market in the previous quarter while the back-to-school season allowed for healthy volumes in Korea.

Japan: The traditional PC market has recovered with healthy macroeconomics and an emerging PC refreshment cycle, especially in commercial, leading to the first year-on-year growth since Q2 2014.

Vendor Highlights

HP Inc. took back the top spot for the first time since Q1 2013 after several quarters inching closer to Lenovo. The vendor has focused on building out a deep portfolio and saw a strong quarter in notebooks across all regions.

Lenovo held the second position with relative modest growth of 1.7% globally. Lenovo had its first decline in the U.S. since Q3 2009, down 4.2% year over year.

Dell captured the third position, grew 6.2% year over year, and continued its positive growth in every region with strong notebook volume. Dell posted growth in all markets, although the U.S. slowed relative to others.

Apple kept the fourth position and grew 4.1% year over year.

Acer regained the fifth position, growing 2.9% in part due to better comparisons against a challenging 1Q 2016.

Computex 2015: HP, Dell, ASUS, Acer and Toshiba showed up new hardware with Windows 10.

At the Computex Tech Show 2015 in Taiwan, Microsoft showed up some of the new hardwares of partners like ASUS, HP, ACER, DELL  and TOSHIBA with the upcoming Windows 10 software running on. 

ASUS Transformer Book T100HA

Asus’ new Transformer Book T100HA was demonstrated, along with the Zen AiO Z240, which boasts a quad-core Intel Core i7, a Nvidia GTX 960M graphics card, and a 3D camera system. Asus says it’ll be a great gaming system. Acer also brought along an all-in-one system called the Aspire Z3-710, the chassis of which measures a slim 1.4-inches.

ASUS Zen AiO Z240,

HP X2

HP also had two new devices on stage, starting with an unnamed tablet that will feature an as yet unknown, but apparently “revolutionary” note-taking feature. It was joined by the X2, 11.6 inch, a clever 2-in-1 laptop/tablet hybrid designed for Windows 10, and equipped with a magnetic hinge for fast conversion between the two states. HP calls it a tablet-first machine.

DELL XPS15

Dell was also part of the showcase, catching attention with its new XPS 15 — shown for the very first time here — complete with a larger borderless display than the one seen on the XPS 13.

Toshiba Satellite laptop, also a 2-in-1

Toshiba showed a Windows 10 PC with support for Windows Hello using a biometric scanner and a camera that supports facial recognition. It’s matched to an Ultra HD 4K screen, and also uses the Cortana virtual assistant to full effect. 

DT and PC World

ACER launched a US$299.- ChromeBook Touchscreen

Acer unveiled the 11.6 inches ChromeBook Touchscreen with a 1.4 GHz Celeron 2955U dual core Intel processor Haswell micro-architecture,

2GB RAM,32GB Solid State Drive, 7.5 hours battery life, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi.There are other features that you will see in Acer C720P like allowing users to tap, swipe and pinch-to-zoom their way through Google’s operating system; it’s the first such device to offer a touchscreen at this price point.

Screen Size	11.6 inches
Max Screen Resolution	1366 x 768 pixels
Processor	1.4 GHz Celeron 2955U (dual core) http://ark.intel.com/products/75608/
RAM	2 GB DDR3L SDRAM
Graphics Coprocessor	Intel HD Graphics
Graphics Card Ram Size	128 MB
Wireless Type	802.11bgn
Number of USB 2.0 Ports	1
Number of USB 3.0 Ports	1
Average Battery Life (in hours)	7.5 hours

Expand

Other Technical Details

Brand Name	Acer
Series	C720P
Item model number	C720P-2666
Operating System	Chrome
Item Weight	3 pounds
Item Dimensions L x W x H	11.34 x 8.03 x 0.78 inches
Color	Granite Gray
Processor Brand	Intel
Flash Memory Size	32 SSD
Batteries:	1 Lithium ion batteries required. (included)

Finally tablets kill netbooks. Was Steve Jobs right. Acer and Asus to stop the line at the end of 2012.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.        

Finally tablets kills netbooks. Was Steve Jobs right. Acer and Asus to stop the line at the end of 2012.

With Asustek Computer recently announcing an end to its Eee PC product line from the end of 2012, while Acer also has no plans to release more netbook products, the netbook market will officially end after the two vendors finish digesting their remaining inventories.

Facing strong competition from tablets, only Asustek and Acer are still competing in the netbook market and are mainly selling to emerging markets such as countries in Southeast Asia and South America.

It took almost 2 years to finally happen Steve Jobs premonition back then at the iPad introduction in January 27th, 2012. Video below:

Digitimes.

Q1 2013: Acer to launch a 7 inch tablet for $99.-

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.        

Q1 2013: Acer to launch a 7 inch tablet for $99.-

Taiwan industry sources say, Acer will launch a 7 inch tablet at $99.- the Acer Iconia B1 the first quarter of 2013 and will sport a MediaTeck processor.

The specs for this device includes:

• 7-inch 1024 x 600 display
• 1.2GHz dual-core Mediatek processor
• 512MB RAM
• 8GB storage with microSD card slot
• Bluetooth 4.0
• GPS
• Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean
• SIM card slot

Sources: Digitimes. and Slashgear

Acer launched 6 new LCD monitors V5 series.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Acer launched 6 new LCD monitors V5 series.

The monitors are all equipped with white LED backlighting and are available in sizes ranging from 18.5-inches to 27-inches. Acer says the V5 series is designed for users with limited space, who don't want to compromise on performance and design.

All models are equipped with an adjustability function that fine tunes the monitor's inclination, as well a quick release stand that can be easily assembled or disassembled using a coin.

The displays are also equipped with a DVI or HDMI ports that supports HDCP, and the monitors' contrast ratio is close to 100 million:1, thanks to Acer's Adaptive Contrast Management (ACM) system. The brightness level on the displays goes up to 300 cd/m2, and all monitors have a rapid response time of 5ms to ensure the smoothest videos.

HP, Lenovo, Asustek and Acer to launch second gen ultrabooks in May. Prices to drop to US$699.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

HP, Lenovo, Asustek and Acer to launch second gen ultrabooks in May. Prices to drop to US$699.-

Intel, which originally planned to announce its new Ivy Bridge processors on April 29, is expected to bring forward the announcement to April 23 with Asustek computer, Acer, Lenovo and Hewlett-Packard (HP) all ready to release their second-generation ultrabooks starting in May.

Kirk Skaugen, vice president and general manager of Intel's PC Client Group, at Intel developer Forum (IDF) in Beijing pointed out that ultrabook prices in the next few months will drop rapidly to US$699 from US$999 currently as shipment scales become large reducing costs.

Intel, at the show, also demonstrated its developments with China-based partners for products such as chassis, panels and software, and in addition to showcasing upcoming second-generation ultrabooks, Intel also revealed its innovative designs for ultrabooks and several concept devices for Windows 8.

To promote ultrabooks, Intel has set up a fund of US$300 million to assist its partners for ultrabook design and R&D. The company is also integrating the upstream supply ecosystem to allow its partners to connect with each other.

Q2-2012: AcerCloud to launch.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

Acer has previewed its new cloud service, that will be included with all Acer consumer PCs from Q2 2012.

The AcerCloud, will connect user personal devices, and store multimedia and data files for users.

The cloud service will include several features including PicStream, which allows users to take photos on their smartphone and back them up onto their main PC, while having access to the photos via clear.fi in the Cloud for 30 days; AcerCloud Docs, whcih offers similar mobile access to documents for 30 days, and clear.fi Media, which allows users to access all their multimedia at any time.

AcerCloud will support all Android devices, while future support is planned for Windows-based devices, and be available in America, Europe, Asia and China.

Jim Wong, president of Acer commented: "AcerCloud not only provides the simplicity and efficiency when accessing and sharing data, but it's also free with a new Acer PC and gives our users peace-of-mind, knowing that their data is safely transferred in a personal cloud space."

2012: Acer may employ eDP displays.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

Acer has demanded its panel suppliers offer notebook display solutions with embedded DisplayPort (eDP) interfaces instead of the current LVDS (low-voltage differential signaling) mainstream interface standard, according to sources at panel makers.

A number of new notebook models rolled out by Acer in 2012 will come with eDP displays, the sources added.

With the exception of Apple's MacBook series, only a few notebook models from other vendors have employed eDP displays due to price differences between eDP and LVDS models.

However, Intel's notice that its Haswell platform scheduled to be released in 2013 will support only eDP specifications may push IC, panel and notebook makers to migrate to eDP standards.

Meanwhile, sources at connector makers also revealed that the replacement of LVDS with eDP will result in a decrease in demand for connectors in notebooks.

1Q2012: Acer, Lenovo to launch quad-core tablet PCs

WorldWiode Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

It did not take too long to see the reaction  to the ASUS Eee Pad Tramsformer Prime worlds first quad-core tablet, by Acer and Lenovo, who are going to launch Android 4.0 Tegra3 quad-core tablets, in the 1Q2012 as well. HTC have been reported to focus in quad.core tablets and smartphones in 2012.

We will see a wide range of quad-core tablets and smartphones brands in 2012.

Here the report from Digitimes:

Acer and Lenovo are set to launch quad-core tablet PCs featuring Google's Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and Nvidia's Tegra 3 in the first quarter to compete against Asustek Computer, which has already launched its latest Eee Pad Transformer Prime with Tegra 3 and Samsung Electronics, according to sources from notebook players.

The sources pointed out that the competition over the quad-core tablet PCs will be difficult as these quad-core devices will only see improvements over their performance and design, but will still feature the same concept as their dual-core predecessors.

Therefore, these players may need to battle it out before being able to enter competition against players such as Amazon or Apple.

The sources noted that although these players' performance in the dual-core tablet PC competition were not as good as expected, they will continue to advance and launch new quad-core devices to defend their brands.

 

The new quad-core tablet PCs from Acer and Lenovo are expected to be priced between US$459-599.

Since non-Apple players' machines have no advantage to compete against Amazon or Apple's tablet PC devices, the sources believe non-Apple players will together account for only 10-15% of the total tablet PC market. 

3Q2012: HP and Dell to launch Windows 8 based tablets PC.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

Some PC vendors, including Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Dell, reportedly plan to venture into the development of Microsoft's Windows 8-based tablet PCs with the new models likely to be launched in the third quarter of 2012, according to industry sources.

Amazon's launch of the low-priced Kindle Fire has not only triggered a price war among Android-based tablet PC vendors, but has also pushed the vendors to alternative platforms in order to avoid fierce competition, commented the sources.

Motorola Mobility began to market a low-priced version of its Xoom tablet through Best Buy on October 16, the sources indicated.

While Acer and Asustek Computer are expected to continue to roll out Android-based tablets, Dell and Lenovo reportedly will focus on business-use tablets, said the sources, noting that Dell's business tablets will run on Windows, while Lenovo's ThinkPad tablet models will run on Android OS.

Chart: 3Q2011 PCs WorldWide shipments. Market share: HP, Lenovo, Dell, Acer, Asus.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.


IDC  market research company today announced that the Worldwide PC Market Grapples with Slow Growth in Second Quarter as Lenovo Rises to Number 2 Position, According to IDC.


The worldwide PCs market share  has HP leading with a 18,1%, Lenovo 13,7%, Dell 12%, Acer 10% and Asus 6,5%. Others 39,7%.


The study is focused on Top 5 Vendors, Worldwide PC Shipments, Third Quarter 2011 (Preliminary) (Units Shipments are in thousands)
 

Press Release:



FRAMINGHAM, Mass., October 12, 2011 – Worldwide PC shipments increased by 3.6% in the third quarter of 2011 (3Q11) compared to the same quarter in 2010, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker.


 The results are up slightly from the 2.7% growth experienced in 2Q11, and just below IDC's August projections for 4.5% growth in the quarter. The Americas and EMEA were slightly below expectations while the Asia/Pacific markets were slightly ahead. The market continues to struggle as consumer discretionary income is diverted to other areas and business spending remains depressed in light of other priorities and a potential double-dip recession.


"For the moment, PCs have taken a backseat to a range of other devices competing for shrinking consumer and business budgets," said Jay Chou, senior research analyst with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker.


 "While growth is expected to stay in mid-single digits in the fourth quarter, we should see faster growth in 2012 and beyond based on easier comparisons and refreshed PC offerings as the industry better addresses the evolving usage models by integrating more of the features in ultra mobile devices."


"Most vendors continue to struggle with the slow market environment and product changes," said Loren Loverde, IDC vice president of Worldwide Consumer Device Trackers. "Although we don't see media tablets and other devices replacing PCs, questions on how products will evolve, and consumer interest in these and other categories are providing a distraction. And while price remains critical, many users are delaying PC purchases for the moment. Still, there are opportunities, as demonstrated by Lenovo's gains, and we expect PCs to find stronger demand in the coming years."


"The U.S. market came in about flat as expected, but failed to generate positive momentum given the state of saturation and lack of incentives for consumers to upgrade. Other inhibitors included the poor economic environment and, to a certain extent, iPad cannibalization," said David Daoud, IDC's Personal Computing Research Director. "As we approach the holiday season, the opportunity for low single-digit growth is real, but mostly as a result of poor market conditions last year, as opposed to a recovery in demand."


Regional Outlook

• The United States market came in roughly flat with year ago shipments as the consumer and commercial demand remained constrained. Nevertheless, the market moved out of negative growth and HP registered strong growth going into the holiday season.

• Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) performed in line with forecast as the PC market continued to shrink in the third quarter across both desktop and portable form factors. The back-to-school season saw sustained weakness in consumer demand, with spending being diverted to media tablets and smartphones, while vendors and channel players remained focused on clearing consumer notebook inventory before taking new stock. Besides weak consumer trends, commercial demand has also slowed down, indicative of the increasing caution and postponed investments as a response to the current economic and financial turmoil in the Euro-zone and the U.S.

• Japan continued to see growth in low single-digits. Lenovo finalized its merger with NEC, leveraging its scale and becoming the clear market leader. Although power rationing affected some commercial purchases, the market by and large continued to see more adoption of both consumer and business PCs.

• Asia/Pacific excluding Japan (APeJ) had a strong quarter with double-digit growth, meeting expected volume. The region managed to regain momentum, reversing two previous quarters of only single digit growth due to gains in China and India, as well as good volume in Indonesia and Thailand.

Vendor Outlook

• HP grew 5.3% year on year, thanks to double-digit growth in the U.S. The company has been criticized for management missteps in the past few months, and been affected by slower consumer demand in many regions, but managed to outpace overall market growth nonetheless.

• Dell continued to make gains in APeJ and CEMA, but declines in more mature regions pulled overall growth to –1.6% year on year. Dell faced tough competition and had sizable declines in some markets. However, its continued expansion efforts in China continued to pay dividends, maintaining double-digit growth in Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan).

• Lenovo experienced strong gains across all regions as it continues its channel expansion and capitalizes on disarray among the other top players. Lenovo has now outpaced the market by more than 10% for the past 9 quarters, and by 20% or more in six of these periods. The results moved Lenovo ahead of Dell in 3Q11 after trailing by a small margin in the second quarter. Lenovo's partnership with NEC and the acquisition of Medion added incremental volume and provided new access to the Japanese and Western European markets.

• Acer continued to struggle with inventory clearing and adjusting its strategy following declines in mini notebooks and its management shake-up. Total shipments were down 20.6% from a year ago – the fourth consecutive quarterly decline – but easier comparisons may help the company turn a corner in coming quarters.

• ASUS had a strong quarter, boosting growth to over 30%. Strong gains in Asia/Pacific, along with improvements in EMEA, helped ASUS overtake Toshiba for the number 5 spot in worldwide shipments. While the vendor has had some difficulties adjusting for the decline in mini notebook PCs, its mainstream notebooks have done well, especially in emerging markets.

• Apple Total shipments increased more than 20% in 3Q11, recovering from a dip to 15% growth in the second quarter but otherwise continuing a trend of more than 2 years with over 20% growth. The MacBook Air continues to boost volumes, and Apple's position in driving changes in consumer expectations for devices also positions it favorably relative to other players and tight consumer spending.

Source: IDC.