The latest IDC report said PC shipments are expected to grow 14.2 percent to 347 million units in 2021.
This is down from IDC’s May forecast of 18 percent growth with continued supply chain and logistical challenges cited as the main reasons. The tablet market is also expected to grow in 2021 but at a much slower pace of 3.4 percent.
Ryan Reith, program vice president with IDC’s Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers, said: “The lengthening of the supply shortages combined with on-going logistical issues are presenting the industry with some big challenges. However, the vast majority of PC demand is non-perishable, especially from the business and education sectors.”
Traditional PCs, inclusive of desktops, notebooks, and workstations, are expected to have a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.2 percent while tablets are expected to decline 1.5 percent over the 2021-2025 forecast period.
Despite short-term supply constraints related to panels and ICs, notebook PCs will remain the main driver of future PC growth.
