Two prominent high-tech consultancies predict a surge in PC sales, with one even divining double digit percentage growth, despite warnings to the contrary by companies like Hewlett-Packard and Intel.
International Data Corporation, or IDC, a prominent tech forecaster, states that 2003 shipments of PCs will increase to 11,3% globally and 10,3% in the United States.
This follows the company’s expectations of a 4,7% gain in PC sales this year — an upward revision from its 1,8% predicted gain for 2002.
Gartner, another leading tech consultancy, is also expecting a 5,4% gain in PC sales for this year, a revision from 4,7%.
Those forecasts come at a time when Intel, HP and others have warned investors of continued flattening of earnings in the PC and other technology sectors. ”In 2001, we saw shipments decline dramatically, largely due to weakening economic situation,” said IDC research Loren Loverde.
”In 2002, a lot of the markets have started to strengthen.”
”We do see a short window of double digit growth in 2003,” added Loverde. ”It’s a recovery from weaker periods a year before.” But IDC cautions that the boom times of the mid-1990s, which saw PC sales climb by 30% or more annually, are not coming.
”It’s not a message we’re going to return to old days,” said Loverde. ”Those times are pretty much gone now.” – Sapa-AFP