The International Data Corporation (IDC) has released its latest findings from the Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker, shedding light on the anticipated trajectory of the PC market.
Despite facing hurdles, PC shipments are projected to experience a 3.7 percent year-over-year growth in 2024, reaching an impressive 261.4 million shipments, IDC report said.
While this figure surpasses the 2018 record of 259.6 million, it still falls short of the levels achieved in 2019. The industry’s path to recovery is punctuated by various obstacles, including concerns surrounding the consumer market refresh cycle, accelerated business device acquisitions, and lingering constraints on education budgets. Consequently, a 13.7 percent year-over-year decline in shipments is projected for 2023, with an estimated 252 million units.
Consumer PC shipments are expected to drop 16.2 percent in 2023 to 112 million in 2023.
Education PC shipments are expected to drop 11.2 percent in 2023 to 31.1 million in 2023.
Business PC shipments are expected to drop 11.7 percent in 2023 to 108.9 million in 2023.
Consumer PC shipments are expected to grow 1.6 percent in 2027 to 124.8 million in 2023.
Education PC shipments are expected to grow 0.1 percent in 2027 to 35.7 million in 2023.
Business PC shipments are expected to grow 2.4 percent in 2027 to 124.5 million in 2023.
Jitesh Ubrani, research manager for IDC Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers, has pointed out the tepid nature of consumer demand, attributed partly to economic challenges. He noted that the PC sector’s struggle for consumer interest is exacerbated by competition from an array of alternative devices like smartphones, consoles, and tablets. Regrettably, 2023 is poised to witness the most substantial annual contraction in consumer PC shipments since the inception of the category.
However, the commercial PC market is undergoing noteworthy transformations, sparking considerable interest. Notably, the landscape has seen major shifts in the processor domain, with AMD claiming an impressive 11 percent share in 2022 and Apple edging past 5 percent within the same year. The advent of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has ignited debates about resource allocation among IT decision-makers. Although AI-capable PCs are not currently in circulation, their impending arrival has reshaped conversations around business device procurement.
Moreover, the persistence of remote and hybrid work arrangements is a factor that cannot be ignored. Many companies are attuned to the preferences of their workforce, accounting for brand preferences, PC types, and the necessity for multiple devices in hybrid environments.
Ryan Reith, group vice president with IDC’s Worldwide Mobile and Consumer Device Trackers, emphasized the pervasive influence of AI on decision-making processes. The commercial PC domain is poised for sustained intrigue as technological advancements introduce new dimensions to the equation. Additionally, the specter of Windows 10’s end-of-support in 2025 is projected to catalyze a wave of commercial refresh activities, whether driven by the pursuit of advanced PCs or the need to update aging infrastructure.
Apple, with its sights set on expansion within the commercial segment, presents an evolving narrative to watch closely in the coming years. The PC market, although confronting an array of challenges, is primed for growth and transformation, fueled by the intersection of technology, changing work paradigms, and evolving consumer preferences.
