Computerworld

Windows 10 impact clear as PC market staggers through slow 2015

“We do not expect the global PC market to recover until 2016.”

Worldwide combined shipments of devices, incorporating PCs, tablets, ultramobiles and mobile phones, are expected to reach 2.5 billion units in 2015, a 1.5 per cent increase from 2014 and down from the previous quarter's forecast of 2.8 per cent growth.

According to Gartner, end-user spending on devices will total US$606 billion in 2015 and will show, for the first time since 2010, a 5.7 per cent decline in current U.S. dollars.

“Our forecast for unit shipment growth for all devices in 2015 has dropped by 1.3 percentage points from last quarter's estimate,” says Ranjit Atwal, research director, Gartner.

“This was partly due to a continued slowdown in PC purchases in Western Europe, Russia and Japan in particular, largely due to price increases resulting from local currency devaluation against the dollar.”

Atwal says that the only market that continues to show growth is the mobile phone market where, in contrast, prices continue to fall.

Meanwhile, the emerging markets are driving the smartphone market upward, with China leading the way.

According to Gartner’s findings, the end of the migration from Windows XP negatively affected the PC market globally during the first half of 2015; however, the greater impact remains the currency depreciation against the dollar.

PC vendors are increasingly reducing their inventory levels - by at least 5 per cent until the end of 2015 - as a way to minimise pricing exposure in the channel.

The global PC shipment market is expected to total 300 million units in 2015, a decline of 4.5 per cent year on year.

“We do not expect the global PC market to recover until 2016," Atwal adds.

“The release of Windows 10 on July 29 will contribute to a slowing professional demand for mobile PCs and premium ultramobiles in 2015, as lifetimes extend by three months.

Page Break

“However, as suppliers and buyers adjust to new prices, Windows 10 could boost replacements during 2016.”

The ultramobile segment (tablets and clamshells) is also on pace to contract in 2015 while ultramobile shipments are estimated to total 214 million units in 2015, a decline of 5.3 per cent year on year.

Meanwhile, tablets will account for 207 million units, a decline of 5.9 per cent from 2014.

“The tablet market is hit by fewer new buyers, extended life cycles and little innovation to encourage new purchases,” says Roberta Cozza, research director, Gartner.

“At the same time, the value of a smartwatch for the average user is still not compelling enough and the impact of these wearables on tablet purchases remains negligible.

“The tablet has become a "nice to have" device, and there is no real need for an upgrade as regularly as for the phone.”

Gartner analysts also witness users relying more on their smartphones as functionality increases and screen size standardises at 5 inches.

Cozza believes this is affecting the appeal of smaller tablets in markets such as Western Europe and North America, beyond Asia.

As a result, Gartner has extended the average lifetime of the tablet to three years by 2016.

“We also expect the tablet market to reach a penetration close to 50 per cent of households in mature markets by 2016, which is soon," Cozza adds.

Going forward, the mobile phone market growth rate is expected to slow down to 3.3 percent growth in 2015.

“The global market has been affected by a weaker performance in China,” adds Annette Zimmermann, research director, Gartner.

“We have witnessed fewer and fewer first time buyers in China, a sign that the mobile phone market in there is reaching saturation.

“Vendors in China will have to win replacement buyers and improve the appeal of their premium offerings to attract upgrades, if they want to maintain or increase their market share.

“Vendors looking to grow their performance in the global smartphone market will be challenged to quickly enhance their expansion into emerging markets outside of China, where we still witness a sizeable share of feature phones and an opportunity for double-digit smartphone growth.”