PC sales see 'longest decline' in history

[HossHuge]

Global personal computer (PC) sales have fallen for the fifth quarter in a row, making it the "longest duration of decline" in history.

Worldwide PC shipments totalled 76 million units in the second quarter, a 10.9% drop from a year earlier, according to research firm Gartner.

PC sales have been hurt in recent years by the growing popularity of tablets.

Gartner said the introduction of low-cost tablets had further hurt PC sales, especially in emerging economies.

"In emerging markets, inexpensive tablets have become the first computing device for many people, who at best are deferring the purchase of a PC," said Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner, said in a statement.
'Some improvement'

Separate data released by research firm IDC also showed an 11.4% decline in global PC shipments during the period, from a year earlier.

IDC, which uses a slightly different method to calculate the data, said that shipments totalled 75.6 million units in the second quarter.

However, it said that the numbers were better than it had expected and were likely to improve in the coming months.

"With second quarter growth so close to forecast, we are still looking for some improvement in growth during the second half of the year," said Jay Chou, a senior analyst at IDC Worldwide PC Tracker.

But he warned that the sector was facing risks and much work needed to be done to turn around things.

"Slower growth in Europe and China reflect the risks, while the improved US outlook reflects potential improvement. Still, the weakness in emerging markets is a threat to a core long-term growth area," Mr Chou said.

"In addition, while efforts by the PC ecosystem to bring down price points and embrace touch computing should make PCs more attractive, a lot still needs to be done in launching attractive products and addressing competition from devices like tablets."

So I guess there will be a reduction in innovation and an increase in prices?

 

[Mindweaver]

It's not because people are not using PC's. It's because PC's 5 years ago are still relevant to an average user. It doesn't take a lot of power to browse Facebook or play there web based games. Blame the developer for average content. The only people that are keeping there computer up to date is gamers, and enthusiasts and we have a small foot hold on the market.

 

[RCoon]

People had XP running on 10 year old machines because it ran well, many households were just buying PC's at the time so sales were good because of that.
PC sales went down after XP had been out for a very very long time, and Vista was on its way.
Vista came out, and nobody's PC bar the enthusiasts of the time could run the damn thing properly, so there was huge demand for PC hardware improvements in household systems.
Now we're back with Win7/8 which run wonderfully on household PC's, therefore there is no reason for domestic users to buy a new PC from their local ripoff dealer because their system still runs fassbook.
Bring out a domestic piece of software that runs like crap on household dualcores, and you're PC sales will go up again. Ebay, Fassbook, Twitter - Make it run like sh*t, and the PC sales will go up again...

 

[rtwjunkie]

It's not because people are not using PC's. It's because PC's 5 years ago are still relevant to an average user.

Exactly this! PC's tend to last longer. That's why I think there should be comprehensive studies on USAGE. Just because someone doesn't buy a new one every year like they do a tablet or cheap laptop doesn't mean it's lost market share and not being used.

And, like you said, we as gamers and enthusiasts have a small hold, but it's a strong one. I've seen other reports that the sales of Parts (either for self-build or upgrading) are very strong.

 

[Easy Rhino]

other articles on this subject mention that more people are shelling out $500 for a new tablet than putting say $750 into a new desktop. they simply keep the desktop longer since it still does everything they want while the tablet givers them mobility.

this issue will not go away until consumers have a truly compelling reason to buy a new desktop over a tablet and there is literally no evidence that is going to be the case ever again.

 

[Sasqui]

other articles on this subject mention that more people are shelling out $500 for a new tablet than putting say $750 into a new desktop. they simply keep the desktop longer since it still does everything they want while the tablet givers them mobility.

this issue will not go away until consumers have a truly compelling reason to buy a new desktop over a tablet and there is literally no evidence that is going to be the case ever again.

Whole heartedly agree. Before a few years ago, there was no alternative to playing solitare! *smirk* And that's half joking. I personally know at least two people/couples who shelled out $2k-$3k only to play solitare. They now have tablets.

The only counter to that are business platforms. When XP is sunset in April 2014, it's likely there will be a resurgence in sales but not like it used to be. A new OS in the past usually meant new PCs, new software upgrades to match.

 

[d1nky]

i bet a small impact has been from used/second hand pc sales. ebay/online selling sites are crammed with cheap used computers, some pc's are handed down and well why spend a stupid commercial price when ya can get it for less and do the same!

and mobile phones/tablets these days do most the stuff and more than an old pc could do.

 

[TheMailMan78]

I love it when I'm right.

 

[Fourstaff]

I love it when I'm right.

You need to be pretty deluded if you think that PC sales are going to keep up over these years with tablets and smartphones running rampant.

 

[Frick]

I love it when I'm right.

You and everyone else, except for the deluded people Fourstaff is talking about. Some people here have been eluded because they don't want it to be true and they go on to blame Microsoft for it.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

There's computers everywhere nowadays from "smart" TVs to cheap Android stick computers. People are diversifying their computing rather than putting it all on one omnipotent computer of yore. As Easy Rhino said, there's really nothing foreseeable in the future that would cause all those diverse computers to once again condense into a single omnipotent computer at home.

 

[Easy Rhino]

There's computers everywhere nowadays from "smart" TVs to cheap Android stick computers. People are diversifying their computing rather than putting it all on one omnipotent computer of yore. As Easy Rhino said, there's really nothing foreseeable in the future that would cause all those diverse computers to once again condense into a single omnipotent computer at home.

The home desktop is going away. The work desktop will probably stay around for a long time but most places have their employees use laptops so that they can work from home if need be. The only real use for a powerful desktop these days is for graphically intensive applications like games. You may think that you rendering video/etc also has a place on the desktop but you would be incorrect as more and more places are offloading graphic renderings to server farms. So yea, us PC gamers will be the last holdouts.

 

[TheMailMan78]

You need to be pretty deluded if you think that PC sales are going to keep up over these years with tablets and smartphones running rampant.

You and everyone else, except for the deluded people Fourstaff is talking about. Some people here have been eluded because they don't want it to be true and they go on to blame Microsoft for it.

Thread full of deluded people flaming me for saying what this report proves.

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=186671

 

[Easy Rhino]

here is what is comes down to...

every active member on TPU and other forums like it want to see PC gaming thrive. we love the platform. so how can we ensure that PC gaming thrives and does not die?

 

[RCoon]

Thread full of deluded people flaming me for saying what this report proves.

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=186671

For some reason people get super touchy about the most menial of things. Er'rybody gettin mad over nothing.
Also, I dont get why people get angry about a report showing a decline in PC sales saying "NO THIS REPORT IS A LIAR A FILTHY LIAR PC'S ARE FLAIING OFF THE SHELVES YOU FILTHY LIARS PC MASTER RACE BEST SELLAH".
Who cares. We bought PC's, and not many others are doing the same. Sucks to be a retailer, but W/E, sucked to be a coal miner in the 80's. The world moves on.

 

[NdMk2o1o]

Thread full of deluded people flaming me for saying what this report proves.

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=186671

People flaming you? that's a first

It will be many years before desktops become obsolete, I think it's down to the longevity of machines as well as the advent of tablets/smart phones etc neither one is the determining factor tbh

 

[TheMailMan78]

so how can we ensure that PC gaming thrives and does not die?

USB Woman that needs a 850w PSU and 4 GPUs in SLI to keep her from bitching?

 

[rtwjunkie]

so how can we ensure that PC gaming thrives and does not die?

But PC gaming is not dying, contrary to editorials that still come out occasionally. We may be a niche market in the PC world, as Mailman calls us, but PC gaming is stronger than ever in terms of through the roof sales, thanks to easy online downloading and backwards compatibility. My kids are even into it now too. They tell me how just about all their online friends in the console arena are also building PC's and doing PC gaming too.

 

[Frick]

Thread full of deluded people flaming me for saying what this report proves.

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=186671

Oh you mean when you told them they would have to upgrade to Windows 8 and that they were butthurt children? How does that have anything to do with slowing desktop sales? You sometimes make good points, but often those are hidden under layers and layers of TMM-AssholeTM, and at other times they are imaginary.

 

[TheMailMan78]

But PC gaming is not dying, contrary to editorials that still come out occasionally. We may be a niche market in the PC world, as Mailman calls us, but PC gaming is stronger than ever in terms of through the roof sales, thanks to easy online downloading and backwards compatibility. My kids are even into it now too. They tell me how just about all their online friends in the console arena are also building PC's and doing PC gaming too.

That happens at the end of every console cycle and every "surge" in desktop sales has been smaller each time.

Oh you mean when you told them they would have to upgrade to Windows 8 and that they were butthurt children? How does that have anything to do with slowing desktop sales? You sometimes make good points, but often those are hidden under layers and layers of TMM-AssholeTM, and at other times they are imaginary.

Point is Windows 8 is the evolution of the platform. That's a fact. Want to keep gaming and keep the platform relevant? Adopt or die.

 

[RCoon]

People do realise this report is about prebuilt PC's right, and not shipment of individual components? This isnt going to take into account custom made rigs...

 

[rtwjunkie]

Thread full of deluded people flaming me for saying what this report proves.

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=186671

I hate to break it to you, but no one "flamed" you. You broke in there and told us all to basically shut the hell up because we we voicing our opinions, which is a common practice when someone writes an editorial, which is also OPINION.

 

[natr0n]

Speaking on pc things anyone notice the price fixing on ram lately.
I paid 25-30 $ for my kit now its $75

platter hard drive prices are down surprisingly.

 

[RCoon]

I hate to break it to you, but no one "flamed" you. You broke in there and told us all to basically shut the hell up because we we voicing our opinions, which is a common practice when someone writes an editorial, which is also OPINION.

Correction. He broke in and performed a MailMan. Get used to it, the rest of us have

 

[TheMailMan78]

I hate to break it to you, but no one "flamed" you. You broke in there and told us all to basically shut the hell up because we we voicing our opinions, which is a common practice when someone writes an editorial, which is also OPINION.

Your opinions were based in emotion. Not fact. I stated facts and because they went against the mob mentality I got flamed.....which is fine. I've been e-thuged by much better than the jokers in that thread.