Desktop PC sales predicted to shrink

The decline of desktop PCs will be gradual says report

IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker recently reported that the worldwide shipment of portable PCs has surpassed desktop PCs in the first quarter of 2009.

However, what some neglect to report is that IDC also believes the worldwide PC marketplace which includes desktops and notebooks will enjoy a spike closer to the end of the year with the introduction of Windows 7, expected to be launched by October 2009.

Although desktop sales are shirnking it is gradual according to the IDC and is marketplace that still enjoys some support.  Inevitably, desktops will dwindle away, particularly as notebooks and netbooks become more aggressively priced.  But for now there is still some room left for it in the overall PC marketplace.

There is no doubt that the upcoming 2010 Soccer World Cup will also fuel desktop sales, particularly in the hospitality sector. Our foreign visitors will require connectivity services for IP Telephony, e-mail and general surfing.  In other parts of the world, connectivity provided via desktops is a given and no doubt our hospitality industry will strive to meet this standard.

When looking more closely at the channel and desktop sales, some local players are taking some strain, particularly those who have built their business on selling unbranded “white box” PCs.